Gods, Titans & Vampires
by T1gerCat
Summary: She has been special all her life, able to do everything on her own. Now she has to get a new brother, worry about her family and deal with a vampire in heat? Bella is not amused!
1. Introduction

**Disclaimer** = I am seriously bad with these things and most of the time I forget them altogether. So I'm putting this one to stand for the entire story, 'k? Nothing is mine (but the plot) Percy Jackson belongs to Mr. Riordan and Twilight belongs to Ms. Meyer and also any recognisable scenes belong to the two authors. If I owned them do you seriously think I'd write fanfics? please...

Introduction

The plane was flying smoothly but my heart was beating frantically. I hate flying. Even riding a Pegasus scares the flying crap out of me, I always expect a bolt of lighting to struck down on me... and to think I'm a natural at riding.

I shook my head and glanced at the sky out of the small window. The sky is perfectly blue and we're even higher than the clouds. 'Its a perfect day' the pilot had said earlier in a cheery voice. Yeah... right.

See I'm not supposed to go up in the air. None of Poseidon's (or even Hades') children are supposed to fly.

However these are not normal circumstances.

I should explain that huh? First of all the Gods are real. Now before you get all excited I don't know about a God, the infamous old man with the beard and all, that's a theological question that has nothing to do with what I'm saying.

I'm talking about the old Gods. The twelve men and women that lived in palace on top of the mount Olympus in the Ancient Greece. Yep, those Gods. Why do I speak English if I mean those Gods? Easy, they moved to the west as the centre of the western civilisation moved. First to Rome, then to a bunch of other places and right now they're in the USA. Stop looking at me like that, I'm not crazy!

I just don't care much about history; I'm a seventeen year old girl that has more problems on her lap right now than just ancient history. Anyways, right now the Gods live (still on Olympus) on the 600th floor of the empire state building. Yes there is a 600th floor. Why can't you see it? Because of the Mist. The Mist is the aura that masks all non mortals from the mortals' eyes. Are we all on the same page now? Good, back to the story at hand!

Most of the Gods and Goddesses spend a lot of their time meeting mortals and if all goes well they hook up and voila! Babies are born. Those babies are called demigods (half God half mortal). Those demigods have a very strong scent that is almost identical to their Godly parent and they tend to attract monsters. (In case you need a reminder think of Hercules and Hydra). The only safe place to be if you're a demigod is a place called 'Half Blood camp'. Before you ask it has nothing to with Harry Potter, although J.K is a child of Apollo (why do you think the poor lady lost it?)

That camp is in Long Island, New York. Don't try to look it up, it has magical borders against mortals and you will never find it. It's normally a beautiful place to be. it has everything you could ever imagine, cabins (one for each God), the Big House where all the meetings are held, the Dining pavilion, a climbing wall, stables, armory and a very dangerous forest.

The problem began a few weeks ago. Someone poised our magical pine tree and now everyone can enter it. Including mortals and more importantly monsters.

Yesterday a quest was given and a group of demigods shall go and retrieve a cure. My baby brother, Percy also a son of Poseidon, and his two best friends Annabeth, daughter of Athena, and Grover, a satyr, snuck out of the camp to go for the same quest (as the girl (Clarisse, daughter of Ares) that was given the quest has zero chances of actually achieving anything) and I was sent to the other side of the country to hide.

I don't like hiding but my mother had a point in sending me away. If the camp is breached then I'm in much greater trouble than the demigods are. You see, I am not a demigod. I already told you my father is Poseidon, Greek God of seas, earthquakes, oceans, and storms. What I didn't tell you that my mother is Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of beauty, love, grace, desire, sexuality, pleasure, and procreation. See the problem now?

I was given two choices either live in Olympus with the Gods (including my mom, step dad who by the way tried to kill me when I was a baby, mom's boyfriend... and the rest of our highly dysfunctional yet perfectly normal family. yeah I don't think so either) or go to live (and hide) with the only other child of Poseidon. I chose the latter and uncle Zeus promised not to struck the plane and kill me.

I closed my sea green diary and placed it in my hand bag before lying back on my seat and allowed my eyes to close for a moment and the pilot still in the same cheery voice even after six whole hours of a direct flight announced we reached our destination and we'll descend now. I tried not to gulp and we smoothly landed. Now I know why some people kiss the tarmac when they land.


	2. Chapter 1: Can I have a Fork please?

Chapter 1: Can I have a Fork please?

I waited for most of the people to leave the plane and only then I stood up, got my carryon items and left the plane. I followed the maze of people to the baggage reclaim area and got my suitcase and duffel bag. Making sure to keep a clear eye around me I headed outside where I was met by a cop.

He was in his early to mid thirties, somewhere around 32-35, with curly brown hair, sea-green eyes identical to our father's, standing tall about 6'0'' and of average build. He also had the classic cop mustache but instead of making him look like a hillbilly, it served to make him look a little older than he probably was. Even though he looked like he had gotten kicked in a very sensitive area when he saw me I could feel an aura of understated power around him.

"Isabella?"

"Hi, you must be Charlie. Please call me Bella"

He nodded. either a man of few words or just still stunned.

"Let me get your luggage"

"Oh that's ok"

He picked my suitcase of the trolley and grinned. Ok he is good looking in a dad sort of way, I grinned back. I hoisted my duffel bag and purse over my shoulder and we headed outside. It was a slightly overcast day but we both put our sunglasses on. he walked up to a cruiser that said 'sheriff' on the side and I couldn't help but smiling again.

it was a three hour drive that passed in somewhat forced conversation mostly about the camp and the basics on my cover story (I am posing as his daughter) before we reached a small town located under, what seemed to be, endless clouds. It was near the ocean and small, very small. According to the welcome sign we passed its got only 3000 people.

We were passing a rather large park with a gazebo in the middle that was lit with a gazillion small white Christmas lights and had small rose bushes, it reminded me a lot of a TV setting. Charlie parked and turned to look at me.

"My kitchen is far too empty. Do you want to see the town and get some dinner or are you too tired?"

"I've been sitting for the past nine hours. Some walking sounds great"

I deadpanned and he laughed and gave me a quick tour of the town and then we headed to a corner diner to eat. we got the 'mob table', a table in the corner, in front of the windows that enabled us to see the expanse of all the diner. a lady came by to get our orders

"Hey Charlie, who is this nice girl?"

"You may want to cover your ears"

I told Charlie and smiled at the waitress.

"You already know me; I'm Bella, Charlie's daughter. I've spent summers here, right?"

I told her with total conviction in my voice. The lady smiled in recognition as the Mist worked with my voice and gave her some vague memories of me being there.

"Right, of course. I recognize you know honey"

"I'll have a steak and fries. Bella?"

"I'll have the same"

The lady smiled and jolted our order down and walked away.

"Wow. Even I almost believed that. What did you do?"

"Charmspeaking, ability only a few of Aphrodite's children have. I basically told her she remembered me and she did"

"Wow"

The food arrived then. I was about to ask Charlie if I could make an offering to the gods when he brought the ashtray between our plates and tearing a paper napkin, lit a small fire. he gave me a smile and cut a portion of the best part of his stake and threw it in the flames. I was next. I did the same and sent a prayer to the Gods.

'Mom, dad, please help perky fulfill his quest'

I opened my eyes and we began eating. After dinner we went to Charlie's house.

It was a small, two story white house in the outskirts of town with a nice front yard.

"This is it. Bedrooms and bathroom are upstairs, kitchen, living room and we downstairs"

I nodded and followed him upstairs with my luggage.

"I usually wake up at 6 and go to the diner for breakfast around 7. You ok with that?"

"Sure. Goodnight Charlie"

"Night Bella"

I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.


	3. Chapter 2: Oh My! Great Fangs

Chapter 2: My! What great fangs you have

My eyes fluttered open with the first rays of sun before it hid behind the light clouds. I got up and straightened the traditional orange t-shirt with the words 'Camp half-blood' I wore to bed. I opened my curtains and window to let the crisp morning air and headed to the bathroom. Afterwards I got dressed in a pair of jeans and a white tank top that had an image of strawberries on the bottom left side and a pair of sneakers. I saw a couple girls dressed like that last night so I should fit right in, I thought.

Downstairs Charlie was having a cup of coffee rubbing his eyes.

"Do you drink coffee?"

"Is a smurf's butt blue?"

I quipped and poured myself a generous cup. Apparently Charlie is not a talkative man in the mornings; he kept his eyes closed and drank two cups of coffee until he managed to open them.

"Can you go warm up the cruiser?"

he grumbled. Hiding my smile I nodded and shouldering my schoolbag I headed outside. Soon he joined me in his uniform sans tie and we drove to the same diner as last night.

"Charlie why do you always eat here? I saw a couple more diners on the way"

"Because they're crap. I tried one when I first moved here and it rained for three weeks straight"

I burst laughing. Sounds like something Zeus would do. Drown the town if he didn't like the offering!

"The usual chief?"

the same plump woman from last night asked Charlie

"Yeah and ..."

"Do you have fruit?"

I asked. Its bad enough that I won't exercise as much here there is no need to eat like a pig as well.

"Yeah"

"Can I have a muffin and a banana please?"

"Sure hon and coffee right?"

Charlie and I nodded and she left. As soon as she was out of earshot Charlie got the paper that was on the table and keeping the sports and news section he handed me the rest. I smiled and got the features. We made small talk over breakfast and soon it was time to head to school. It was right on the highway so Charlie said he'd give me a lift since it's my first day and all.

At the traffic light right before the school zoomed into view I felt the mist thickening around us. Charlie made a rough turn and parked sharply. I was about to get my sword out but we were both wrong. There was no monster around. When the mist broke I saw that my jeans and sneakers were gone. Instead I wore a short denim skirt in faded red color and high heeled black booties. My hair was out of its ponytail falling down my shoulders in its natural waves. Upon closer inspection on a mirror I saw that I also wore make-up. I don't even need makeup! Having Aphrodite as my mother I am equipped with built-in great appearance. A light natural eye shadow, long eyelashes, even thin eyeliner and rosy lips!

"Mother!"

I couldn't help but exclaiming. Loudly. Charlie snickered.

"Not a word!"

I told him and he comically nodded making me decide not to tell him that he was mustache-less and that his hair had lost their wavy/shaggy style and was now in a wavy-yet-spiky style. He pulled in the school still snickering. Grumbling I got out of the car feeling all eyes on me. Nothing stops traffic like a car with red and blue lights on its roof, I thought and put on my sunglasses.

"erm Bella?"

Charlie asked and I turned to him

"Yeah?"

"I'll pick you up after school and no sex under my roof!"

He left immediately (with the passenger door still open!) before I could muster a reply. I shook my head and decided to make him fall in love with whoever had a shift at the garbage cleanup for revenge!

Yeah that is my specialty, from mom's side. Puppy love, the kind that is soft and cute. I let a cruel smile shape on my lips and ignoring my peers I looked around. The school was a large building painted in dark brown tones mixing really good with its surroundings with a sign that read 'Forks High! Home of the Spartans' on the side. Seriously? I laughed to myself and walked inside and headed to the office.

Inside, it was brightly lit, and warmer than I expected. It was pretty small; a little waiting area with padded folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttering the walls, a big clock ticking loudly. Plants grew everywhere in large plastic pots, as if there wasn't enough greenery outside. The room was cut in half by a long counter, cluttered with wire baskets full of papers and brightly colored flyers taped to its front. There were three desks behind the counter, one of which was manned by a large, red-haired woman wearing glasses. She was wearing a purple t-shirt, which immediately made me feel welcome. After all I was wearing a tank top, jeans, my ankle booties and a leather jacket. The red-haired woman looked up.

"Can I help you?"

"Hello, I'm new here. I'm Isabella Swan, the chief's daughter"

I said. I really don't want to charmspeak to everyone, plus the news must already have circulated the town. Her bright smile was the only affirmation I needed. Of course there was no paperwork about me, I don't even have a real ID - aunt Athena made me a fake one at her job (I'll explain later). But the lad in purple didn't seem to think it was strange at all and simply printed a series of pages.

"I have your schedule right here miss swan and a map of the school."

She brought several sheets to the counter to show me. She went through my classes for me, highlighting the best route to each on the map, and gave me a slip to have each teacher sign, which I was to bring back at the end of the day. She smiled at me and hoped that I would like it here in Forks. I smiled back wondering how fast she'd call her friends to inform her that the new girl was in town. I left the office heading to the main hall checking to see where my first class was.

English classroom 105.

'I'm gonna take a wild guess and try the first floor'

I thought sarcastically and headed to the stairs. I was right but not wanting to push my luck I waited till all the students were inside before going in. The classroom was small. On the wall next to the door was a long row of hooks, filled with coats and jackets. I took the slip up to the teacher, a tall, balding man whose desk had a nameplate identifying him as Mr. Mason. He gawked at me like I was miss America or something — not an encouraging response — and of course I was unable to hide a smirk. When was the last time someone new moved here?

Thankfully the day didn't drag on too much and before I knew it, it was lunch time. I was about to get a tray and head out to the outdoors table to eat but a cheery girl from one of my classes steered me like I was a trireme to the cafeteria to sit with her and her friends. She was tiny, several inches shorter than my five feet five inches, but her wildly curly dark hair made up a lot of the difference between our heights. Her name was Jessica and she certainly liked the sound of her own voice. I simply smiled and nodded as she prattled about teachers and classes. I didn't try to keep up preferring to hear the gossip rather than spread it.

The cafeteria had a long row of counters with a bar in the middle and tables all around the room. We sat at one of the bigger tables that had ten people stuffed around a table that was large enough for six. It was filled with several of her friends, whom she introduced to me and of course I forgot all their names as soon as she spoke them.

a blond guy with baby blue eyes, that reminded me of my friend (sort boyfriend) - now enemy Luke, pulled the chair back for me and I couldn't help but smiling. of course that made the Asian guy from my English class get mad and pulled the blond one's chair back causing him to fall. On top of that an African American guy ignored the blond girl next to him and laughed at their expenses before saying something that clouded suspiciously like 'my girl' and kissed my cheek making the other two end their bickering and chase him out of the cafeteria.

My mouth hung open for a minute before a cute girl in glasses and a ponytail, patted my hand gently bringing me back to present. I admit I'm kind of used of boys fawning over me or flirting back home but not this extreme!

The girl smiled sympathetically and started a conversation about the school paper and possible topics about and got the spotlight off me, I smiled thankfully to her and she winked. I think I'm going to like her.

I looked around me memorizing the layout and inspecting faces. Sugar colored walls, posters and streamers on the walls, could this place be anymore generic? It seemed as if the whole school had the same lunch period and more than a few kids were looking at our table. Scanning the crowd, a habit you develop easily if you get attacked my monsters posing as mere mortals a lot, my eyes fell on a table far away from the others. It was almost out of the room with a lot of distance from all the other tables, students, even the walls. The IT kids' table, I thought. I looked at its occupants.

There were five of them. They weren't talking, and they weren't eating, though they each had a tray of untouched food in front of them. They weren't gawking at me so it was safe to stare at them without fear of meeting an excessively interested pair of eyes. But it was none of these things that caught, and held, my attention. They didn't look anything alike. Of the three boys, one was big — muscled like a Hephaestus kid, with dark, curly hair. Another was taller, leaner and blond. The last was lanky, less bulky, with untidy, bronze-colored hair and looked younger than the others.

The girls were opposites. One was blond, statuesque with a beautiful figure. The other one was short, pixie like, thin to the extreme, with small features. Her hair was a deep black, cropped short and pointing in every direction.

And yet, they were all exactly alike. Every one of them was chalky pale, the palest of all the students living in this sunless town. They all had very dark eyes despite the range in hair tones. They also had dark shadows under those eyes — purplish, bruise like shadows.

But all this is not why I couldn't look away.

I stared because their eyes were exactly the same color despite the rest of their features; they had the same color of sweet and sour sauce.

Oh shit!

**Vampires!**


	4. Chapter 3: Remember to breath

Chapter 3: Remember to breath

**A/N: Hey guys! You all know I usually update on Sundays but its birthday today so I decided to give you my chapters today. Enjoy!**

I scanned the room again thinking of a possible battle strategy if all five came to me at once and then turned to the black haired motor mouth sitting right next to me. I wanted to ask her about them, the gossipers know everything, but then I remembered the mythology lessons the satyrs give back at camp. Vampires have perfect senses including hearing. The last thing I needed at the time is drawing their attention. There is a slim chance they haven't noticed my scent yet.

I kept the questions at bay and instead asked the girls on my table for their numbers jolting them down on a napkin and participated to a third degree interrogation the nasty looking blond girl on my table seemed ready to give me. I've lived with Silena (the only other Aphrodite kid) and Clarisse for years and handle them both just fine. I can handle a small town wanna-be queen.

I sat at the cafeteria table far longer than my table mates, waiting for the vampires to do the same and only then I headed to my next class. Ironically enough the class was biology. of course given my luck the only available seat was next to the vampire. Feeling his eyes trained on me I went up to the teacher who signed my slip and with an apologetic smile sent me to my seat. I managed not to roll my eyes and I sat down leaving enough room for one more person between us.

As soon as I sat he gulped visibly as if he was sucker punched. Okay, he did notice my scent. Making sure to not make any sudden movements I tapped the dolphin shaped ring on my left pointer finger and immediately it turned to Katoptris, my dagger. I shoved the dagger under my skirt to rest on my crossed legs ready to stab the copper haired vampire next to me if he made the slightest move towards me. The lesson passed slowly. From the corner of my eye I chanced a look at him. He sat motionless, his chest hadn't taken a breath since I sat down - that gave him some brownie points - his left hand gripping the table so tightly that a torrent of splinters fell on the floor. His eyes were trained on my neck, right on the pulsing point.

I didn't hear a word the teacher said. I was too busy planning and discarding strategies. Scenario 1 - the vampire made a move for me ignoring the class, scenario 2 - the vampire kills the class before attacking me, scenario 3 - the vampire kills me before killing the class and coming back for a celebratory drink and so forth. The key in all these scenarios is one: does he know what I am? If he thinks I'm a mere mortal then the key is to stab him (hoping that the celestial blade Katoptris is made off can actually kill vampires) and kill him before the class realizes what's going on. Then I simply use the Mist to convince everyone the vampire simply didn't come to class. If he does know I'm a goddess then things are trickier..

The class seemed to drag on longer than the others and I wanted to tap my foot on the floor but knowing how loud it'd be I resisted doing it. At that moment, the bell rang loudly; making me jump and almost at once the students fled the room. I half expected the vampire next to me to mimic them but he didn't. He was frozen in his seat unmoving like a statue. For a moment I didn't know what to do. Demand a fight or ignore him?

I turned to look at him and what I saw made me want an immediate duel to the death: his eyes were the blackest of black filled with hatred. I was about to pick a fight when the cute blond tapped on my shoulder with a friendly smile. Biting back a groan I tapped on Katoptris and it became a ring again. Calmly I got up and walked out of the room.

I didn't look back.

The blond guy was by my side in an instant and chatting we headed to the ground floor for the gym. Soon after we got in the gym we parted ways. He went into the locker room to change and I headed to the surprisingly over weight coach to sign my slip,

PE was nothing compared to workout I did back at camp but I did sit out today since I didn't have a locker or clothes to change into... I took a seat on the bleachers and blond guy came up and sat next to me.

"You're not playing today?"

"Nah... I'm the captain of the team, I can wing out sometimes"

he told me and winked. I resisted the urge to snicker and smiled at him.

"Oh… I see."

We stayed quiet for a while watching the coach drill the kids. The boys were divided in two teams playing basket while the girls pretended to play volley.

"Hey, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

I asked him.

"Sure, go for it"

"Well… what's your name?"

"My name?"

"Yep. I got so many names at once at lunch that none stuck"

I felt my face heat up and he smiled

"Mike Newton"

"Bella swan"

We shook hands.

"So... what's good around here?"

He shook his head for a moment like a wet puppy

"There is the mall, the video store, the river court, the black, white and read bookstore that shows older films from the 30s - 60's on the weekends..."

"Wow, I'll never get bored"

I deadpanned and we laughed.

"Most of us usually go to Port Angeles in the weekends for movies or to la push for swimming, surfing or to have bonfires."

We chatted for a while until the bell rang, dismissing the thirty or so amount of students. I got up too.

"Thanks for staying with me Mike. I really appreciate it."

"Hey, no problem. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I'll be here,"

"Ok, bye then,"

I left the gym, stopped by my brand new locker to get all the books I was given today and loaded them on my bag and headed to the office to return my slip. I headed to the parking lot afterwards to see that Charlie was indeed there leaning against his cruiser and that Mike was waiting for me next to a suburban with his back to Charlie.

"Can I ask you something Bella?"

He looked nervous. Please don't ask me on a date...

"Yes?"

"Do you… want to be my friend?"

Mike asked me. The question was so sweet, kindergarten-like that I couldn't help but smile warmly at him. I nodded.

"Yeah, I'd like a friend"

He smiled back and walked in his car. I turned to walk to the cruiser. Charlie looked smug.

"Not a word!"

"Should I tell him the rules?"

"The 'no sex under my roof' ones? Don't worry but just so you know those rules go both ways"

I teased seeing the school's secretary smile brightly and wave to Charlie who muttered something under his breath and hopped in the car. I scanned the parking lot before pulling out and saw the five teenager vampires looking at me. I looked back for a moment and decided to send them an easy smile and hopped in the car myself. Charlie revved the engine and slowly pulled out of the parking lot ignoring the other cars that parted like the red sea for him to pass.

"Wanna go get your new car?"


	5. Chapter 4: The three men of the Rez

Chapter 4: The three men of the Rez

"My what?"

I asked completely flabbergasted.

"Your car. Did you expect to walk while you're here?"

"Well... yeah"

"Sorry my lady"

He mocked. I looked at the scenery around, woods and more woods

"Where are we going?"

"The Indian reservation. The tribe chief is my friend and there is someone you should meet too"

"The rest of the vampires?"

"The what?"

"You really didn't know your town has a whole colony of them? I saw 5 at school today"

"Oh you mean the Cullens? Yeah I know about them"

"How can you be so calm?"

"I'm not, trust me. They're not like all vampires; they claim to be different, vegetarians"

"They drink vegetarian people?"

I asked with a smile tugging on my lips. Charlie chuckled

"No, they drink animals"

"Animals? And that's better because...?"

Charlie shrugged.

"As long as they don't kill humans I'm good with it and let them be"

"Yeah... One of them almost made a meal out of me today"

"Σκατά (Damn it)"

"You said it brother!"

Charlie pulled the cruiser in front of a small red house and parked next to a dark blue truck.

"We're here. Don't say anything about it to anyone, understood?"

"Έγινε (got it)"

We got out of the car and he led me to the front door. We got in without knocking and headed inside. Inside planted in front of a rather large TV set were 3 men with their eyes glued on what seemed to be a game of baseball.

As soon as the commercials started all three turned in perfect sync to look at us. One of the men seemed to be older than the other two with grey hair, one was wearing glasses and had the looks of a history teacher and the third one had long black hair that fell to his shoulders and was in wheelchair. All three shared the same copper skin.

"Well, this is your daughter, old dog?"

The teacher-like one said putting emphasis on the word 'daughter'. I raised an eyebrow as Charlie chuckled.

"Bella these are my friends. Quil Ateara, Harry Clearwater and Billy Black. Guys this is my baby sister Bella"

"Baby? That's for sure. How old are you?"

The one called Quil asked me

"Seventeen, sir"

"Seventeen... good age, seventeen"

he mumbled. I threw a glance towards Charlie who was biting back a smile. I shook my head biting back a retort and nodded. The man in the wheelchair looked me up and down and called

"Yo Jake!"

A tall kid around Percy's age walked in through a side door holding a dirty rag.

"Yeah dad?"

"Bella right?"

I nodded

"Jake, Bella. Bella, Jake"

he turned back to the game dismissing us. Charlie grinned at me and plopped down next to them. I shook my head smiling and closed my eyes. I imagined the oldest guy of the bunch feeling Charlie up and hearing a yelp I opened my eyes. Charlie yelped as the quil something guy up had his hand on his thigh. Charlie shot me a glare and winking at him I followed the kid out the back door to the garage.

A thick stand of trees and shrubbery concealed his garage from the house. I took my time searching my surroundings - more of a habit than actual danger - and looked at the kid again. He looked fourteen, maybe fifteen, and had long, glossy black hair pulled back with a rubber band at the nape of his neck. His skin was beautiful, silky and russet-colored; his eyes were dark, set deep above the high planes of his cheekbones. He still had just a hint of childish roundness left around his chin. Altogether, a very pretty face. He'd be a major heartthrob soon.

The garage was no more than a couple of big preformed sheds that had been bolted together with their interior walls knocked out. The result had a left a rather large room that housed two very different rooms. On the right was an array of furniture kicked from the house for some reason. Two loveseats, a recliner and a couple bright colored beanbags. They all faced an old TV placed in a bookcase of sorts along with a DVD player. On the rest of the shelves were books, a girly cosmetics bag and some awards.

On the left was the garage part with counters pushed against the walls. There were all sorts of power tools scattered on them and in the middle were what looked to me like a completed automobile.

"So what do you think?"

"Of what?"

I asked stupidly

"The car"

He explained smiling. I had to wonder who screwed the smile on, I want one!

"well, it's pretty. it has four wheels. I like its glossy, rich blue color. I really hope the hood works with this weather and that's all I know about cars"

he nodded laughing

"Charlie bought it last month and I've been working on it ever since. You don't wanna know how it was before"

"What kind of car is it?"

"Its a Fiat 5000 Spider. It's a classic from 1981"

"it doesn't look older than 15 years old. You did a great job"

I praised him. Frankly the car looked as if it was straight from the store. I glanced at Jake who was blushing and was fumbling with some loose screws.

I sat at one of the beanbags on the makeshift living room and Jake sat on another one. For the rest of the afternoon I was able to forget why I am here and the danger my home was in and simply lean back and relax having fun with another kid.

Soon it was dinner time and the adults called us for dinner. One serving of mac and cheese later and Charlie and I headed back to his house each driving a different car. he took his cruiser and it was up to me to drive Betsy. I didn't name it, Charlie did.


	6. Chapter 5: Dear diary I saw my parents

Chapter 5: Dear Diary I saw my parents

_Good morning Diary _

_This week sucks. I sleep awfully. I keep dreaming of ships being crushed between 2 huge rocks. People jumping off the ship's sides plunging in icy waters. Women get manicures and pedicures and massages while men get transformed in small cute piggies. Grover the satyr in a wedding dress. A huge Cyclops chasing Percy around a small island. A bunch of centaurs in t-shirts holding crossbows and arrows with plastic fists on their ends. Luke and Percy in a sword fight and I wake up with a start. Every. Single. Freaking. Day!_

_The days aren't any better either. I wake up, feeling sluggish, go for a run hoping it will wake me up (it doesn't since I always feel someone stare at me), swim at the small reek in the woods behind Charlie's house. Then at school things are stranger. The vampire that sits next to me is gone. While that would be great its not. The other four just glare at me at every change they get, which is quite a lot actually. _

_On the bright side I made a friend. Her name is Angela and she seems nice. She's quiet and withdrawn. She has two younger brothers and she likes reading and photography. _

_Sorry Diary, gotta go. We have a field trip at school today in Seattle. We're going to a history museum to learn about the ancient gods. Now that is my kind of Fun! I'm sweating and there is no more sleep for me. I need a shower!_

I closed the diary and put it back on my nightstand before heading to an extra long, extra warm shower. Needing to calm down after shower I rubbed my favorite body cream with extra care. Medea's SPF 50,000 sunscreen and body lotion scented in a mix of tropical coconut, mango and papaya. I know it sounds disgusting but combined with my strawberry shampoo it leaves me smell like a fruit platter which is a great way to mask my natural scent. Then I did my nails and ended with my hair. When I was done, about two hours later I got dressed in a pair of blue jeans with straight leg and a tank top in a teal color. Listening to my gut I prepped for a battle and pulled my boots over my jeans and a leather jacket in an icy pink color.

I headed downstairs to start on breakfast. Charlie and I had reached an agreement concerning food. He would show me the ropes on how to eat like a pig and I'd show, or rather remind, him how to exercise. Its going well, we're past the awkwardness.

I poured us some coffee and after breakfast we took our separate ways for the day. He headed to work and I went to school where after an assembly under the slight drizzle we boarder the buses to Seattle. I have never been in an actual road trip to a museum before. Camp half-blood doesn't exactly gather all of the little demigods to send us to museums. The only kind of road trip I've been to is the inevitable one that is part of quests.

Three slow hours later filled with cheesy songs, that are sang way out of tune by every student in the bus, nonstop chat and gossip and we pulled outside the Seattle Art Museum.

Mrs Kerr, our History teacher, led the museum tour. She walked up front in her heels clicking loudly on the marble floor, guiding us through the big echoic galleries, past marble statues and glass cases full of really old black - and - orange pottery, as she said. I bit my tongue to stop the respond that they were called αμφορείς (amfora). It blew my mind that this stuff had survived for two thousand, three thousand years. It's amazing the length my family will go to preserve their history, even though most of the time it's the mortals that care enough to look for ancient stuff.

We gathered around a thirteen-foot-tall stone column with a big sphinx on the top, and mrs Kerr started telling us how it was a grave marker, a stele, for a girl about thirteen years old. She told us about the carvings on the sides. I was trying to listen to what she had to say, even though I grew up listening to Chiron saying the same stuff (but in much more depth because the guy was there), I felt as if someone had dropped an ice cube down the back of my shirt and checked my surroundings. Nothing out of the ordinary, just a bunch of kids that were talking and a family of five vampires standing on the side. He's back.

Mrs Kerr kept talking about ancient Greek funeral art when I reached my boiling point her ignorance and Lauren's snickers about 'the naked dudes' on the stele and I turned around and said

"Will you shut up?"

It came out far louder than I meant it to and not only the whole group laughed but my anger had shaken up the Mist and her lips disappeared making her look like Neo from Matrix when he lost his mouth.

'αμαν' (darn)

I mumbled and as quickly as possible I restored her lips and the Mist. Mrs. Kerr stopped her story fighting back laughter.

"Miss Swan did you have a comment?"

I thought about telling her off about her mistakes in Mythology but decided against it.

"No, ma'am"

Mrs. Kerr gave me an evil smirk and pointed to one of the pictures on the stele.

"Perhaps you'll tell us what this picture represents?"

I responded in a heartbeat without even looking at the carving.

"That's Kronos eating his kids"

"Yes"

Mrs. Kerr stumbled over her words firing another question.

"And he did this because…"

'Because he was a power hungry, narcissistic asshole who was afraid he'd lose his place to them.'

"Kronos was a Titan who was power hungry and afraid he'd lose his throne to his kids so he ate them. Those kids were the Gods. His wife Rhea, who was also his sister, hid baby Zeus, and gave Kronos a rock to eat instead. When Zeus grew up, he battled Kronos and Zeus fed Kronos a mixture of mustard and wine, which made him disgorge his other five children, who, of course, being immortal Gods, had been living and growing up completely undigested in the Titan's stomach. The gods defeated their father, sliced him to pieces with his own scythe, and scattered his remains in Tartarus, the darkest part of the Underworld"

"Eeew!"

Said Lauren behind me.

"—and so there was a war called a Titanomachy between the Gods and the Titans and the Gods won."

I finished my lecture. Mrs Kerr was beet red and seething, no teacher likes it when a student outsmarts them. Some snickers were heard from our group while most kids were about to clap. Behind me, Lauren Mallory mumbled to Jessica

"Like we're going to use this in real life. Like it's going to say on our job applications 'Please explain why Kronos ate his kids.' "

Of course Mrs Kerr saw that as a way to stop me.

"And why, Mis Swan to paraphrase Miss Mallory's excellent question, does this matter in real life?"

"Busted"

Mike Newton muttered next to me and I chuckled along with everyone else.

"Shut up"

Lauren hissed her face even brighter red than her lipstick.

"You can't avoid destiny. Kronos' father was a tyrant and Kronos became one too. Everyone knows tyrants don't last long. It's better to be in sync with things that try to bend them to your will. Mrs. Kerr"

I smiled knowing I had won the first round. Then we moved onto the statues section of the museum. I couldn't help but smiling seeing my family, even though the sculptures look nothing like the real thing. Still it was comforting to be here.

"There are 12 Olympian gods. The big three are the brothers Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. The three gods have been rivals ever since, always arguing, always threatening war. On several occasions, they would come down to Earth and, um...

How shall I put this?"

"Hook up?"

Tyler snickered bringing a smile to everyone's face

"They would hook up with mortals. The children of these unions were half god, half human. Can anyone tell me what they were called? What is the proper name of the offspring of a human and a god?"

"Demigod."

I answered since no one else did.

"Exactly, and many became great heroes, like Hercules and Achilles. Can you name another miss Swan?

"Theseus, Perseus, Hercules, Alexander the Great"

I trailed enjoying her face as she obviously thought all of this was disgusting

"Now, over here, we have a depiction of Hercules defeating the Nemean lion. Hercules killed the beast with his bare hands and took the skin as a trophy. Disgusting isn't it?"

I was able to let all those jabs go, however when she started throwing jabs on 'how all Gods held their object of power but Aphrodite held her panties' I lost it. Calling the doves from the large plaza outside I let them swarm in here in a crazy volcano. Every water cooler on the floor burst dousing everything and everyone in the vicinity. Girls screeched while boys laughed and I could feel my eyes changing color from bright pink to bright green as the wind caused by the doves circled the water till it soaked mars Kerr completely.

"Isabella σταματα"

I heard both my parents' voices in my head urging me to stop. I did but it felt so good to unload that I seriously didn't care on who was there to witness the 'miracle'.

On the bright side the tour ended before we reached the murals section. The painting as well as the sculpture my mother had ordered for me the day I left mount Olympus for Forks do look like me. Of course it would have been funny to see mars. Kerr try to explain how I look exactly like the goddess of pure love and calm waters who apparently lived thousands years ago.

I would like to say that the 'freak accident' in the museum was the highlight of my day, but it wasn't. As soon as we arrived back at school I found myself face to face (or rather crotch) of a Minotaur.


	7. Chapter 6: I battle with the Minotaur

Chapter 6 – I battle with the Minotaur

The sight of it made my skin crawl. I don't know if you've ever seen a Minotaur but the images in mythology books don't do it justice. It was a dark silhouette of a huge guy, like a football player. His top half was bulky and fuzzy. His upraised hands made it look like he had horns. He was seven feet tall, easy, his arms and legs like something from the cover of Muscle man magazine — bulging biceps and triceps and a bunch of other 'ceps, all stuffed like baseballs under vein-webbed skin. He wore no clothes except underwear —I mean, bright blue briefs with a red 'S'. A Minotaur wearing superman briefs would've looked funny, except that the top half of his body was so scary. Coarse brown hair started at about his belly button and got thicker as it reached his shoulders. His neck was a mass of muscle and fur leading up to his enormous head, which had a snout as long as my arm, nostrils with a gleaming brass ring, cruel black eyes, and horns — enormous black-and-white horns with points you just couldn't get from an electric sharpener. He reeked like rotten meat.

Percy battled him last year so if I knew that the beast had a weak point on the back of its neck. The question is how the heck do I get up on its neck when the beast is three stories high, like the school? Not to mention the fact that there is a whole school of three hundred students screaming and running crazily around us.

"Jeez dude, there is a thing called shower you know"

I told to its crotch and moved my bag over my head so it was hanging across my body. I sprinted to the left, turned, and saw the creature bearing down on me. His black eyes glowed with hate. He lowered his head and charged, those razor-sharp horns aimed straight at my chest. The fear in my stomach made me want to bolt, but that wouldn't work. I could never outrun this thing so I held my ground, and at the last moment, I jumped to the side. The bull-man stormed past like a freight train, then bellowed with frustration and turned, but not towards me this time, towards my classmates who screamed and took cover behind cars.

I have no idea what the Mist made them see but thankfully they all hid giving me enough space to maneuver. The bull-man grunted, pawing the ground. I just stood there, watching it carefully. With an angry roar, the monster closed his fists around the bus that most of the kids had taken cover behind, and it dissolved before my eyes, melting into light, a shimmering golden form, as if it was a holographic projection and the pieces were thrown away to the hills behind the school.

I allowed my body to think for it and screamed

"Hey superman"

I stripped quickly of my icy pink leather jacket and used my powers to turn it blood red. I waved it in front of the monster using its primate mind to draw it away from the cowering students. It charged fast, his arms out to grab me whichever way I tried to dodge. Time slowed down. My legs tensed. I couldn't jump sideways, so I leaped straight up, using Mike's SUV as a stirrup and kicking off from the creature's head, using it as a springboard, turning in mid air, and landing on his neck.

A millisecond later, the monster's head slammed into the tree and the impact nearly knocked my teeth out. The bull-man staggered around, trying to shake me. I slapped both my hands on my thighs unlocking my weapons, my dagger, Katoptris, on my left hand and my beloved weapon, a three foot tall double-edged celestial bronze trident, that becomes a sword with two roses wrapped around it holding steadily to my wrist, called Kataklysmos. Locking my arms steadily around the beast's head I stabbed it furiously with my dagger and throwing my trident to the ground I created an earthquake strong enough to throw the monster down. I jumped from its shoulders back flipping in mid air and landed in front of it. I raised my trident which followed my desires and turned into a sword and was about to decapitate the monster when something hit me from the side knocking me to the cold ground saving the monster which bowed and disappeared.

I turned to see who it bowed to and found myself facing the bronze haired vampire from biology.

"Γιατί το έκανες αυτο?" (what is wrong with you? why did you do that?)"

I asked in Greek (when I'm emotional I tend to revert to my native language) but before he responded everyone was clapping. I slapped my hands to my thighs and my weapons returned to their normal disguises, a dolphin shaped silver ring on my left pointer finger and a rose shaped bracelet on my right wrist. The monster had disappeared but in its place was Tyler's van who had tried to drive away. The vampire knocked me out of the monster's way and straight into the van's making it look like he saved my life. I glared at him but he was smirking.

**He knows exactly who it saved, and it wasn't me. **

I got up and picked my jacket and the horn the monster lost in fight and was about to walk away when a crowd of people with tears streaming down their faces, shouting at each other, surrounded me.

"Don't move,"

Someone instructed.

"Get Tyler out of the van!"

Someone else shouted. There was a flurry of activity around us. I tried to walk away but Angela's concerned face stopped me

"Just stay put for now."

Everyone was focused on me; I couldn't leave, so I sat on mike's car hood waiting for the paramedics. The vampires were whispering in furious tones while holding identical smirks even though their coal black eyes held nothing but fury. I thought about using the mental connection I have to the gods and ask cousin Apollo to let the sun shine for a moment and expose them but decided it'd be too cruel.

Of course looking back at it - it wouldn't have been cruel at all.

As the ambulance appeared to the end of the parking lot accompanied by two police cars I became suddenly aware of a throbbing ache centered above my left ear and a wound I had gotten on my stomach, right below my left breast. Now that the fight endorphins wore off I could feel myself growing dizzy and bit my tongue to stay awake. Someone was trying get past my natural godly shield but they weren't having much luck. If I collapsed though... I leaned my head on Angela's shoulder whose tears resembled a broken fountain held me close and offered comfort.

Please tell me the Mist is on my side and I'm bleeding like a normal person!

Two EMT's jumped from he ambulance and the vampire jumped on them. They turned to me and they put on a neck brace. I let myself be wheeled away while the entire school was there, watching soberly as they loaded me in the back of the ambulance next to Tyler who refused to shut up. I closed my eyes hoping against hope that Tyler would pass out so I could have a moment of peace. Naturally, the ambulance got a police escort to the county hospital. I felt ridiculous the whole time they were unloading me.

They put me in the emergency room, a long room with a line of beds separated by pastel-patterned curtains. A nurse put a pressure cuff on my arm and a thermometer under my tongue. Since no one bothered pulling the curtain around to give me some privacy, I decided I wasn't obligated to wear the stupid - looking neck brace anymore. When the nurse walked away, I quickly unfastened the Velcro and threw it under the bed but left the thermometer in place. Luckily my body temperature is the same as any mortal's.

There was another flurry of hospital personnel, another stretcher brought to the bed next to me. I recognized Tyler Crowley from my Government class beneath the bloodstained bandages wrapped tightly around his head. Tyler looked a hundred times worse than I felt. But he was staring anxiously at me.

"Bella, I'm so sorry!"

"I'm fine, Tyler — you look awful, are you all right?"

As we spoke, nurses began unwinding his soiled bandages, exposing a myriad of

shallow slices all over his forehead and left cheek. He ignored me.

"I thought I was going to kill you! I was going too fast, and I hit the ice wrong…"

He winced as one nurse started dabbing at his face.

"Don't worry about it; you missed me. Why were you going so fast?"

I asked wanting to know what else the Mist created. He pondered about it for a moment.

"I don't know"

He said in a lost voice. I nodded. So the Mist made a stories tall monster look like a van that was skidding, and a bulky male nurse wheeled me away then, to X-ray my head. I told them there was nothing wrong, and this time I wasn't afraid to manipulate the Mist. The nurse nodded and printed a set of someone else's head x-rays and put them on the folder that hung from the foot of the bed I was in.

Unfortunately I had to be careful with the Mist so I was trapped in the ER, waiting, harassed by Tyler's constant apologies and promises to make it up to me. No matter how many times I tried to convince him I was fine, he continued to torment himself. Finally, I closed my eyes and ignored him. He kept up a remorseful mumbling.

"Is she sleeping?"

A musical voice asked. My eyes flew open. The vampire was standing at the foot of my bed, smirking. I glared at him.

"Hey, Edward, I'm really sorry —"

Tyler began. So that's his name. The vampire, Edward, lifted a hand to stop him.

"No blood, no foul"

He said, flashing his brilliant teeth and unconsciously Tyler shifted away from those. He moved to sit on the edge of Tyler's bed, facing me. He smirked again.

"So, what's the verdict?" he asked me.

"There's nothing wrong with me at all, but they won't let me go, How come you aren't strapped to a gurney like the rest of us?"

"It's all about who you know, but don't worry, I came to spring you."

Then a doctor walked around the corner, and my mouth fell open. He was young, he was blond... and he was handsomer than any movie star I'd ever seen. He was pale, though, and tired-looking, with circles under his eyes. From Charlie's description, this had to be Edward's vampire - dad. Smurf me!

"So, Miss Swan,"

Dr. Cullen said in a remarkably appealing voice,

"How are you feeling?"

"Brand-new"

I deadpanned smirking. He chanced a look to his 'son' and walked to the light board on the wall over my head, and turned it on.

"Your X-rays look good. Does your head hurt? Edward said you hit it pretty hard."

Luckily the nurse printed a copy of someone whose head was fine. Imagine if he screwed up? However seeing them his lips formed a hard line as if he wanted to see a mess and someone had screwed up

"It's fine,"

I repeated with a sigh, throwing a quick scowl toward Edward. The doctor's cool fingers probed harshly along my skull. He noticed when I didn't even wince.

"Not tender?"

"Nope, should it be?"

I asked in my best dumb voice and heard a chuckle in response, and looked over to see Edward's patronizing smile. My eyes narrowed.

"Well, your father is in the waiting room — you can go home with him now. But come back if you feel dizzy or have trouble with your eyesight at all."

I nodded absently.

"Take some Tylenol for the pain,"

Dr. Fang suggested as I pulled my bag over my shoulder.

"It doesn't hurt"

"It sounds like you were extremely lucky,"

Dr. Cullen said, smiling as he signed my chart with a flourish.

"Lucky Edward happened to be standing next to me"

I hinted with a hard glance at the subject of my statement while mentally added 'for the minotaur'

"Oh, well, yes,"

Dr. Leech agreed, suddenly occupied with the papers in front of him while glaring at his 'son' sideways. Then he looked away, at Tyler, and walked to the next bed. My intuition flickered; the doctor was in on it.

The curtain was pulled back once again and this time Charlie appeared asking me mentally a dozen questions about my health in a mixture of ancient Greek, Modern Greek and English. He looked at me up and down and glared at the vampires picking my sour mood. Not saying a word he guided me outside using his other arm to hold not only the swarm of students back but also the one and only paper in town. Someone alerted the press that the chief's daughter almost died!

Why didn't I stay in Olympus again?

As soon as we were in the cruiser speeding away I opened my bag and retrieved my ziplog back full of ambrosia chips and threw two in my mouth. I swallowed them with a gulp of nectar from the small plastic bottle. Almost immediately the pain in my head was gone and so was the small nectarine shaped bump.

"You alright?"

"Yeah daddy"

I murmured as I felt my consciousness slipping and i fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 7: Hello Quest

Chapter 7: Hello Quest

"Bella, wake up"

"mmmm"

"Bella, you got a call, wake up"

"mmm...fine"

I mumbled and with half lidded eyes I stumbled downstairs heading to the phone in the kitchen but the extra loud gurgling of the mini Feng Shui fountain on the coffee table in the living room drew my attention. There, on the falling water was a face, smiling and waving.

"Percy!"

I squealed and plopped on the loveseat.

"Hey sleepy head"

"Hey baby brother, how was the quest?"

"Long, wet, scary, and it worked better than expected. Or worse, take your pick"

"You're gonna have to explain that"

I said not even bothering to cover my yawns. Percy chuckled.

"Okay. You know that we sneaked out to do the quest"

"Yep with Hermes' help"

I nodded

"We did it. We teamed up with Clarisse along the way, we had to. We kind of crushed at Circe's island. While Annabeth went under a makeover I became a guinea pig. We survived that and we went up against Scylla and Charybdis, we saved Grover from being married to Polyphemus and hitched a ride from seahorses. Of course then we met Luke and his army but survived that as well"

I blinked and muttered

"I feel so useless right now. What about the Fleece? Chiron? Luke?"

"We got the Fleece. The camp is safe and healthy but Thalia is back"

"Thalia as in... the tree Thalia?"

"Yeah. Luke wanted the healing powers of the Fleece to restore Kronos but"

"You used it instead"

He nodded morosely

"How are you Percy? With Thalia there and all the dynamics changed"

"Like I'm invisible, in the bad sense"

"She's been away for a long time, give everyone a breather. Things will be okay soon"

"I hope. Anyway are you coming back?"

I shifted a little.

"I don't know. If your quest is over and the camp is safe, I guess Chiron will call for me to come back"

"I miss you"

he said and in that moment I could see just how young Percy really is. Not only age wise but emotionally too, he looked scared and alone. The salpigge for breakfast was heard

"I promise I'll call you as soon as I know more"

"Wait! Chiron says to get the books"

Was heard as if from a great distance as the water lost its extra pressure and the image of the camp and Percy was dissolved. I sat there for a moment before a cup of coffee materialized on the table before me bringing me back to reality.

"You okay kiddo?"

"Yeah, just homesick. Not that I don't like being here"

I hasted to add under Charlie's laughter. After breakfast Charlie left to go fishing with his friends.

"Get the books?"

I muttered as I did my part of the daily chores. Then it hit me - there is an annual book fundraiser at the town square this weekend. Kind of farfetched but who am I to question Chiron? I got dressed quickly in the last clean outfit I had. A short denim skirt, a white t-short with a huge black heart and a pair of booties with a jacket on and drove to the town square.

I had to stop at the sight of the books. The whole square was filled with large tables (probably taken from the school's cafeteria). Every inch visible was covered with books. Lucky for me I found Angela perusing some old comic books and walked up to her.

"I definitely hadn't you pegged for a captain America fan"

She jumped and turned around armed with an encyclopedia that looked heavier than herself.

"argh! You scared the crap out of me Bella!"

"I'm sorry I thought you heard me"

I exclaimed laughing.

"They're for my brothers. They prefer Captain America over Superman"

she shrugged.

"My Lady"

I looked around and a man on the last stand of the fantasy isle was looking straight into my eyes. He was in his early fifties and was built like an Olympian weightlifter. Frankly he could be seriously scary if he wasn't the same height as my waist. He was leaning against a pair of crutches and had a cowboy had on. I mumbled an excuse to Angela and went to him but before I could utter a single word he pushed a stack of books at me and took of running to the woods that surrounded the town plaza. I picked the books in my arms and browsed them. One was called 'Vampires 101', two were books about herbs and how to grow them at your own yard and the last one was called Mythology. I opened that one first.

Only it wasn't a book at all.

It opened in the middle - remember inspector gadget's niece? - And had a square shape opening in the middle. I pulled out a jewelry case and popped it open. A small miniature fountain jumped out much like a jack-in-a-box.

"Subtle!"

I said and as if it heard me it transformed to a small, cute, flip cell phone in a soft pink color with light blue designs. It beeped with two text messages. The first one welcomed me to its network.

**'H(ephaestus) Phone. An Iris - Message for the road. Powered by Hermes Telecommunications'**

I chuckled. Finally the two Gods agreed on producing something together other than the Internet. I wonder which snake of Hermes' caduceus had the H-Phone idea, probably Martha - George's idea was the internet. The second message was trickier though

_'Child of Wave and Love, _

_seek the ones who turned, _

_remember no beauty goes un-paid. _

_You must wake him whom was lost, _

_but save your life _

_before green turns to white._

_- O -'_

"Obsessed with the Liars enough Oracle?"

I mumbled and went to find Angela to say goodbye. I need to talk to Charlie. Now. I was driving the market when the plan hit me. Men tend to agree easier to things the don't want when they're fed. With that in mind I bought a rather obese (dead obviously) rabbit, a few sacks of onions and the ingredients to make chocolate cake. On a whim I got 2 bottles of red wine as well.

by the time Charlie came home I had done two loads of laundry, his share of the chores, dessert was cooling in the fridge and I was almost ready to set the table. Luckily for me he brought friends with him.

"Hey Billy, Jake"

"They want home cooked meal"

Charlie offered, I'm pretty sure it wasn't just an excuse.

"I was about to set the table, come right in"

"Also Jacob here was anxious over seeing you again"

"Thanks dad"

Jake complained blushing deeply; I had to bite back my smile and fingered my necklace. I gasped.

"What happened?"

Charlie asked me

"My necklace, it broke"

I muttered holding the broken string and the beads that were my keepsake from the Camp.

"Is it important? I can fix it"

Jacob hurried to say.

"I've worn it ever since I was two. I feel naked without it"

I said and handed the fifteen beads and the brown string that had them together to Jake who put it in his pocket. I shook my head and served a glass of wine to the adults in the room. The dinner was a hit and both Charlie and Billy were suffering from a great deal of the hiccups by the time they all but licked the bottom of their black forests cakes.

"Charlie?"

I handed him the phone and he read the prophesy

"I guess you're staying then?"

"Looks like it"


	9. Chapter 8: Just call me Jane

Chapter 8: Just call me Jane…

Next day was dedicated to gathering intel. After breakfast Charlie drove Billy and Jake back to the reservation as they had both stayed over. I guess I may have pushed a little too much wine down their gullets last night.

Right before they left though Jake returned my necklace.

"Here you go"

"You fixed it!"

I admired the necklace. Gone was the leather string and in its place was delicate silver. Ten multicolored beads were around the neck and had four more hanging in the middle ending in a single clam shell.

"How..."

"I'm good with my hands"

he shrugged. I turned around and lifted my hair

"help me put it on?"

Jake fastened it on my neck. The shell fell an inch above my breasts. I looked in the mirror.

"Perfect"

after they left I cleaned up the guest room and then I sat at the dining table to look through the books. The gardening ones had - predictably - a handful of ambrosia seeds and nectar ones. Of course as soon as they were both outside mt. Olympus they both transformed to something most mortals would find normal. Ambrosia became chocolate and nectar became coffee. The two things I love most and both are easy enough to conceal in a herb garden. I planted them immediately in Charlie's yard.

I went over the prophesy again trying to decipher it.

_'Child of Wave and Love, _

- okay that's me

_seek the ones who turned, _

_remember no beauty goes un-paid. _

- that's trickier. Someone that shouldn't be beautiful is? several someones?

_You must wake him whom was lost, _

- Jake? Someone older?

but save your life

before green turns to white.

- at least that's clear. I have until snow falls to complete this quest while hopefully remaining alive. No pressure there, its still March.

Thinking back to whatever had happened since the day I stepped foot in this little town the strangest things were a- the vampire coven and b- Jake, the (probably unclaimed) Hephaestus son. Seeing as the book the satyr had given me was about vampires I decided I'd go out a limp and say that I'm supposed to work on them.

And I did.

For the next month I did just that and observed them at school. In the afternoons I went over my observations comparing them to what had become my new Bible: the vampire book looking for similarities and differences.

Boy were they different! According to the book vampires are not supposed to be in large covens with only the royal coven in Italy as an exception but the local ones were. The other, and most troubling difference, was their eye color. It should be red since they drink blood and it replaces their bodily fluids. However their eye color is gold. Either my vision is screwed up or they're drinking the blood of gods and that is NOT good.

I had to dig deeper if i were to make sense of all this. I only hope I don't become their dessert in the way.

The following Monday I decided I'd bite the bullet and actually talk to them. I woke up early, got dressed and after the breakfast routine Charlie and I had settled on, I drove to school. I made a point to be open all day long, chat freely with my classmates, get information about their lives and families without giving anything on me... generally creating a mystery about me.

At lunch I sat, as usual, with Jessica and her friends and allowed Mike to walk me back to class.

Mike was strangely quiet as he walked me to class, the uncomfortable look on his face a bad sign. But he didn't broach the subject until I was in my seat and he was perched on my desk.

"So, I wanted to ask you something"

Mike fidgeted

"ask away"

I smiled. Everyone was talking about some sort of dance that was gonna take place in a few days.

"Will you, if you don't have plans or you want to... or if you didn't already ask someone?"

His bright blue eyes flickered to Edward as he trailer getting redder and redder and I bit my lip knowing that laughing at him was probably a bad idea

"Well…"

He floundered as he examined my smile, clearly not happy with my lack of response.

"I was wondering if… well, if you might wanna come with me to the dance. As a date"

I paused for a moment noticing, from the corner of my eye, Edward's head tilt reflexively in my direction. I smiled at Mike sweetly

"Sure"

"you don't have to say yes if you don't want to and its okay if you have plans... what?

"I said sure, I'd love to go to the dance with you"

Mike blinked and then a happy toothy grin was sprayed on his lips. I swear if mr. Banner hadn't come inside right then mike would have fainted from the lack of oxygen. I threw my hair on my right shoulder exposing my neck to Edward, who was looking at my direction, and tilted my head to Angela and i motioned to mike and mouthed 'dance'. she smiled and winked. Class went by fast after that with mike grinning like mad hatter, Edward staring at me (or rather my exposed neck) and me looking straight to the teacher.

I changed my routine when the bell rang. instead of walking away i remained seated until the class emptied and only then i turned to Edward.

"are you going to the dance?"

he stared at me like an idiot. it looks good on him. I passed my hand in front of his face. he inhaled sharply and replied

"Edward?"

"I'm going to Seattle that Saturday"

"Can't you go some other weekend?"

I pouted.

"Sorry, no"

he replied. I pouted some more.

"That's too bad. I had thought about saving you a dance"

I shrugged and walked away. I smiled as I caught sight of his stunned 'siblings' right outside the classroom.


	10. Chapter 9: Ignore, Flirt & Faint

A/N: Alright people, for a few chapters I'm gonna switch to scene writing since I have zero intention to write Twilight from scratch and you have zero intention of reading it ;-) These scenes will be either completely mine or re-vamped (full pun intended) from Twilight and New Moon. Gottcha? off to read now

p.s. As usual any outfits and photos mentioned are on my profile

Chapter 9: Ignore, Flirt & fake faint all in one day

During gym I told Jessica how Edward had asked me to the dance but i chose mike over him and she spread the rumor around way faster that should be possible.

The next day everyone was talking about it much to my amusement.

"Edward Cullen is staring at you."

Jessica said as we walked to up to the line at cafeteria. she had been talking about Edward and his 'awesomeness' all day and to be honest I was only nodding not paying attention.

"I wonder why he's sitting alone today."

My head snapped up. Why did he change his routine? I followed her gaze to see Edward, smiling crookedly, staring at me from an empty table across the cafeteria from where he usually sat. Once he'd caught my eye, he raised one hand and motioned with his index finger for me to join him. As I stared in disbelief, he winked.

"Does he mean you?"

Jessica asked with insulting astonishment in her voice.

"no, the other Bella swan that serves pie"

I deadpanned causing Angela to choke on her soda. I looked over at Edward again who was still motioning at me with his finger looking annoyed that I wasn't obeying. I smirked and waved slyly. Then I turned back to the line, got a turkey sandwich and a cherry cola and sat down on my usual table between Mike and Angela turning my back to Edward.

"I don't feel like talking to him"

I said simply. I made a point to send a casual smile to Edward's usual table where his family sat and then ate my lunch talking about everything and nothing.

- - - Scene Breaker - - -

as expected Edward rounded on me as soon as i left cafeteria on my way to biology

"Why didn't you sit with me today?"

He asked with a forced smile and angry eyes.

"I didn't feel like it"

I replied watching him with caution.

"You usually sit with your family, what changed?"

"Well…"

He paused, and then the rest of the words followed in a rush.

"I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I got tired of trying to stay away from you. So I'm giving up."

He was smiling in a creepy sort of way but his ocher eyes were serious. How exactly was he staying away from me when it was me who locked my bedroom window (with unbreakable ivy poised with werewolf teeth instead of thorns, gift from aunt Demeter) after I caught him watching me sleep?

And I thought Peter Pan was creepy...

"Giving up?"

"Yes — giving up trying to be good. I'm just going to do what I want now, and let the chips fall where they may."

His smile faded as he explained, and a hard edge crept into his voice.

"You lost me there"

I faked clueless ness and his crooked smile reappeared.

"But I'm warning you now that I'm not a good friend for you."

Behind his smile, the warning was real.

"Maybe I'm not a good friend for you either"

I whispered thinking just how easy it'd be for me to stab him with Katoptris and be done with it. The second warning bell rang and i pulled back a little.

"are we going to class?"

"not me"

"Why not?"

"It's healthy to ditch class now and then."

He smiled up at me, but his eyes were troubled, probably going over my last response.

"Well, I'm going"

I told him. I wanted to create some distance between us, but being my mommy's daughter I made sure to sway my ass a little as I walked away knowing he'd be watching me.

- - - Scene Breaker - - -

When I got to class I saw that both Mike and Angela were staring at me. Mike looked resentful; Angela looked surprised, and slightly awed. I guess I was the first person to turn my back to Edward in front of everyone only to talk to him in private.

Mr. Banner came in the room then juggling a few small cardboard boxes in his arms, looking a lot like Brainy Smurf

"Okay, guys, I want you all to take one piece from each box, the first should be an indicator card,"

he went on, grabbing a white card with four squares marked on it and displaying it.

"The second is a four-pronged applicator and the third is a sterile micro-lancet."

He pointed to the stuff inside the boxes that he had Mike pass out to everyone.

"I'll be coming around with a dropper of water to prepare your cards, so please don't start until I get to you."

He began at Mike's table again, carefully putting one drop of water in each of the four squares.

"Then I want you to carefully prick your finger with the lancet…"

He grabbed Mike's hand and jabbed the spike into the tip of Mike's middle finger. Oh no. Clammy moisture broke out across my forehead as I realized what was going on.

"Put a small drop of blood on each of the prongs."

He demonstrated, squeezing Mike's finger till the blood flowed. I swallowed thickly. I couldn't spill my blood in here! I already battled a freaking minotaur if I lost a single drop of my gold Ihor - the good of gods - I'd be battling every single monster in the whole west end of the continent! Not to mention five very hungry vampires... I need to get out of here. FAST.

"And then apply it to the card. The Red Cross is having a blood drive in Port Angeles next weekend, so I thought you should all know your blood type. Those of you who aren't eighteen yet will need a parent's permission — I have slips at my desk."

He help up the dripping red card for us to see. I closed my eyes, examining and throwing away ideas. Suddenly Percy's words came to my mind.

"The magic word to get out of class isn't 'please'. Its 'puke'"

Deciding I'd play it sick of the blood, I put my cheek against the cool black tabletop and made a point of being sick & trying to hold on to my consciousness.

"Bella, are you all right?"

Mr. Banner asked. His voice was close to my head, and it sounded alarmed.

"I already know my blood type, Mr. Banner"

I said in a purposely weak voice. I didn't raise my head and brought my hand to my lips as if I was holding back vomit.

"Are you feeling faint? Is your stomach upset?"

"Yes, sir"

I muttered. That's why mr. vamp ditched class... otherwise the students would become a feast for him.

"Can someone take Bella to the nurse, please?"

he called. I didn't have to look up to know that it would be Mike who volunteered.

"Can you walk?"

Mr. Banner asked.

"Yes"

I whispered. Just let me get out of here, I thought. I'll crawl. Mike seemed eager as he put his arm around my waist and pulled my arm over his shoulder. I leaned against him heavily on the way out of the classroom. Mike towed me slowly across campus. When we were around the edge of the cafeteria, out of sight of building four in case Mr. Banner was watching, I stopped and turned to look at mike.

"thank you for getting me out of there"

I old him sincerely and hugged him letting my head fall on his shoulder. I always enjoyed physical contact and mike sensed it hugging me back. he didn't give me any trouble for lying to class.


	11. Chapter 10: The weekend ends with kiss

Chapter 10: I end the pampering weekend with a battle

Three days before the dance when Jessica and Angela talked me into a shopping trip. One that would last three days because apparently Port Angeles is the place to shop and maintain the good looks. I rolled my eyes but tagged along because frankly Forks gets boring fast. We left on Friday right after school and luckily Jess drives pretty fast (faster than the Chief anyway), so we made it to Port Angeles by four.

It had been a while since I'd had a girls' night out (the last one was with Athena, Hera and Aphrodite all arguing over what I should wear at winter solstice) and the estrogen rush was invigorating. We listened to whiny rock songs while Jessica jabbered on about the boys we hung out with. Jessica's dinner date earlier this week with Dylan, she decided that Mike wasn't worth it since he begun pursuing me and left her in the dust, had gone very well and she was hoping that by Sunday night aka dance night they would have progressed to the first-kiss stage. I smiled to myself, pleased. Angela was passively happy to be going to the dance but not really interested in Eric. Jess tried to get her to confess who her type was, but I interrupted with a question about dresses after a bit, to spare her. Angela threw a grateful glance my way.

The dance was billed as semiformal, and we weren't exactly sure what that meant. Both Jessica and Angela seemed surprised and almost disbelieving when I told them I'd never been to a dance in Phoenix.

"Didn't you ever go with a boyfriend or something?"

"Really"

I tried to convince Jessica, not wanting to confess my past. Its not like I could tell her that I live in a camp and that like the rest of the Gods I wear a toga to official meetings.

"I've never had a boyfriend. I didn't go out much."

"Why not?"

Jessica demanded.

"No one asked me"

Except the bullies at Ares camp and that is just too weird. She looked skeptical.

"People ask you out here, and you tell them no."

So this is about Edward Cullen. I turned my back and started scanning the racks at the juniors' section.

"Well, except for Tyler"

Angela amended quietly.

"Excuse me? What did you say?"

"Tyler told everyone he's taking you to prom,"

Jessica informed me with suspicious eyes. I had to pick my jaw off of the floor.

"He said what?"

"I told you it wasn't true."

Angela murmured to Jessica. I was silent but I couldn't help the loud laughter that escaped me. But we had found the dress racks, and now we had work to do.

"That's why Lauren doesn't like you"

Jessica giggled while we pawed through the clothes. I shook my head laughing with her making Angela crack up too. The dress selection wasn't large, but we all found a few things to try on. Angela and I sat on a low chair just inside the dressing room, by the three-way mirror while Jessica was trying her choices on. Jess was torn between two — one was a long, strapless, black dress and the other a knee-length strapless forest green one. I encouraged her to go with the green; why not play up the eyes? Angela chose a pale pink dress that draped around her tall frame nicely and brought out honey tints in her light brown hair. I chose a short blue dress that had a lacy cover my left arm. We headed over to shoes and accessories. While they tried things on I merely watched and critiqued, not in the mood to shop for myself except one pair of black dress sandals.

I knew that no-matter what I chose if my mother didn't like it she would makeover me.

- - - Scene breaker - - -

Saturday was a beautiful sunny day that was spent indoors as Jessica dragged Angela and myself to her favorite spa for massages, waxing, hair styling and a long makeup process that left Jessica looking like a brunette Barbie with zero expressions under her mask of makeup. Angela however chose my idea and wore only a little makeup and simply exchanged her glasses for eye contacts.

Saying I'd go get the car ready I left them in the spa. I was walking alone in the streets of Port Angeles when out of the corner of my eye I saw a silver Volvo parked along the street. It was empty but my gut told me it was Edward's, so did the license plates. 'Accidentally' I had prickled the skin of his bicep with Katoptris during class that morning smirking when a drop of gold blood leaked out of the tiny cut and his eyes widened. He had left school immediately.

'Let the games begin' I thought.

I walked past the car feeling suddenly like a string was pulling me. From experience I knew I had to let it guide me. It led me to an alley where 4 men were lounging against the buildings. One was standing in the middle of the street.

Looking closer I realized they were about the same age as me or maybe even younger. I recognized one of them and a cold chill passed down my back. He was a heavyset, dark-haired boy in his mid teens. He was wearing a flannel shirt open over a dirty orange t-shirt, cut-off jeans, and sandals. I stood straighter.

Evan, the son of Ares that had gone awol since before I came to Forks was staring at me like he had never seen a girl before. The guy that stood in the middle of the street turned slowly following Evan's eyes. A coy smile was born on my lips.

Luke Castellan, son of Hermes and right hand assistant of my brother's main villain is also the guy I've had a crush on since I first met him when I was twelve years old. He is the best swordsman camp Half-blood has seen in 300 years but I'm just as good. The two of us can - and have on occasion - battle for hours without ever beating each other.

"Hello Luke. Goodbye Luke"

I quoted Katherine Pierce and tapping my wrist I freed Kataklysmos of its bracelet confines and attacked. Kataklysmos is a 4 feet long double edged trident-turned-sword forged by the God of Forgery, Hephaestus himself. two roses are wrapped round the length of the sword locking around my wrist holding the weapon in place. Its made out of celestial bronze. Luke's sword is called Backbiter — a blade with one side of celestial bronze melded with tempered steel. The celestial bronze allows for the wounding of immortals and monsters, while the steel injures mortal. It shows exactly who's side Luke is on. Unfortunately no amount of celestial bronze can beat it.

Our swords clashed as I fended off his attacks defending myself before using Katoptris to even the ground and start attacking him. Catcalls and bets were heard around us as we battled with our swords and our bodies. Soon we were interlocked with out swords in an X position and our bodies pressed together in the middle of the street.

"Kiss me"

I commanded in a low voice feeling Luke's breath on my lips. He obeyed instantly and our lips locked, our mouths completing each other perfectly. Our tongues battled just as heated as our swords had. Sooner than I liked we pulled back for air.

"I miss you"

Luke whispered against my lips.

"I miss you too. You chose your side"

"Come with me"

He begged

"You know I can't do that"

I replied softly. He nodded as he kissed me again, much more tenderly this time but not any less heated.

"Can we talk later?"

"I'll have ready PB&J sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies"

I chuckled replying just as softly and he chuckled at our private joke. It was a great kept secret that Luke and I met in the dead of the night for our favorite snacks. Gently I pulled back packing my weapons away.

"Where are you going?"

Luke demanded his face full of authority, almost like a jealous boyfriend my inner giddy teenager cheered.

"I have a dance to get ready for in an hour"

I winked and walked away putting my sunglasses on, a soft smile on my lips. Jessica dropped me off at home where I got ready and an almost menacing Charlie scared the crap out of mike playing the 'daddy-who's also a cop' card really well. Mike and I were off soon and the dance went without a hitch. We spent three hours laughing, dancing, drinking the hideous liquid called punch and actually had a great time. When Mike dropped me off at my house he gave me a kiss to the cheek. It felt like kissing my brother.

"Mike you do realize you don't like girls, right?"

"Am I that obvious?"

"Just a tad"

He chuckled and I gave him a hug

"Will you still be my friend even if I'm a freak?"

"You're not a freak, Mike. Just gay but you're still my friend"

It was a much needed break from reality.


	12. Chapter 11: Promises & Dates

Chapter 11 : I make a promise and go on a date

A reality I was forcibly thrown back in the next day on my way home from school. I was driving and humming along the radio when unexpectedly someone appeared in the passenger seat next to me.

"Hello"

a brunette woman with a long nose, clear grey eyes and wild curly greeted me.

"Athena? What are you doing here?"

I gasped and asked my twice removed great niece from my mom's side and just niece from dad's side. Don't ask you'll give yourself a a headache. I'm giving myself one just thinking about it!

"is everything alright with Mac?"

I asked when she didn't reply immediately but for the first time in almost a decade the jab about her dispute with Hera and my Mom caused by Eris. Okay remember the famous apple that caused the Trojan War? Well about 13 years ago TV became a big thing up there and Eris decided she'd become the local AGB. Needless to say that mom, Hera and Athena saw it as a new way to compete each other and each started a tv-show in which they were after a man located in different cities. Hera went to Las Vegas, Athena chose New York and mom went to Miami... 'nough said!

"Annabeth is gone"

"WHAT!"

I shouted and pulled suddenly on the shoulder of the street not caring about the cars behind me.

"What happened?"

"Grover, Thalia and Annabeth went to fetch two kids from a military school when scorpio attacked them and in the whole mess took my daughter"

the normally stoic woman burst into tears suddenly. Sighing I put my arms around her hugging her tightly. Her tears soaked my cherry colored top but I can't say I cared.

"what do you want me to do?"

"I don't know"

"Is there a prophesy yet?"

she shook her head

"please aunt Bella"

she whispered against my shirt and suddenly she was gone leaving me hugging air with a car honking next to me. it was a silver Volvo

"Need a hand there?"

the bulky passenger called to me. I pulled my H-phone and wiggled it

"Never text and drive"

"Speaking of texting I don't have your number, do I?"

the pixie-like girl from the back seat called out

"No, you don't"

I said and putting first gear i pulled to the road and drove away

"Percy what the hell is going on?"

I asked my crying brother over an Iris message.

"Annaebeth was taken"

"I know, her mother told me. That's what I'm asking. How was she taken?"

"Alright. We went to a military school to get two kids, Hades' kids. We split up inside and Artemis' huntresses came and in the whole mess the scorpion guy took her"

"What now?"

"earlier today the oracle gave Thalia a quest"

"aaaaand?"

"she will go with Bianca, Zoë, Grover and one more girl"

"Zoe the huntress? I'd pay to see that"

I deadpanned. its not secret that Artemis' huntresses dislike not only boys but demigods in general. Specially Zoë. she had a bad run-in with Hercules quite sometime ago. she helped him steal the apples of the hesperides and turned her back on her family. then he moved on leaving her behind with no one there for her. it wasn't until Artemis found her and took her along that she moved on.

"are you gonna go?"

"they don't want me"

"that never stopped you before"

I urged him. Then he got the epiphany.

"I'll take blackjack!"

he exclaimed enthusiastically. Blackjack is the only completely black Pegasus. Mine is Whitey, the only completely white one. I smiled

"If he gets too tired get Whitey"

I instructed and ended the message. I rubbed my hands over my face. first Annabeth, then homework and then work on my vampire issue

- - - scene breaker - - -

Two weeks later I had no news from Percy yet and I had no way of contacting him, sure I could use a blind IM but the chances of it actually working were slim to none. to distract myself i allowed Edward to take me out on a dinner date in Port Angeles. I didn't bother changing out of my reddish jeans and red and white top. I only added a pair of boots and grabbed my leather jacket just as the doorbell rang. Charlie was downstairs, glaring at the copperhead vampire that had a glowing look on him making me sick. I plastered a smile I didn't feel on my lips.

"Ready to go?"

"I'll have her back by ten o'clock, chief"

Charlie grunted in response I sent him a thought.

"Αν αργησω καλεσε τους λυκους"(If I'm late call the hellhounds)

Smirking Charlie nodded and getting into the silver Volvo we drive away. He turned on some 50's music and we kept silent during the whole drive. Arriving in Port Angeles he drove us to the same restaurant I had gone at my last trip to Port Angeles. Edward walked to the door of the restaurant and held it open with a constipated expression. I walked past him into the restaurant with an amused smile.

The restaurant wasn't crowded — it was the off-season in Port Angeles. The host was female and looked ready to fall asleep on her podium.

"A table for two?"

His voice was alluring, whether he was aiming for that or not. She looked at us and led us to a small ring of booths — all of them empty.

"How's this?"

"Perfect."

He flashed his gleaming smile, dazing her momentarily.

"Um" — she shook her head, blinking — "your server will be right out."

She walked away unsteadily. I shook my head.

"You really shouldn't do that to people, It's hardly fair."

"Do what?"

"Dazzle them like that — she's probably hyperventilating in the kitchen right now."

He seemed confused.

"I dazzle people?"

"You haven't noticed? Do you think everybody gets their way so easily?"

He ignored my question

"Do I dazzle you?"

"Not really, no"

The arrival of our server stopped him from arguing and gave him time to rearrange his features from anger to a pleasant one. I ordered a coke and he mimicked me.

"Are you ready to order?" she asked Edward.

"Bella?"

he asked. She turned unwillingly toward me. I picked the first thing I saw on the menu.

"I'll have the mushroom ravioli."

"And you?"

"Nothing for me,"

Point.

I shed my coat making sure my strapless top stayed in place.

"That rose color looks lovely with your skin"

"Thank you. Its one of my favorite colors"

I took my time unrolling my silverware slowly, picking up my fork, and carefully speared a ravioli. I put it in my mouth slowly still staring in his eyes. I swallowed and took another sip of Coke before I looked up.

"I read an article the other day about Vlad the Impaler being really a vampire. What do you think about that?"


	13. Chapter 12: Outtings & Battles

Chapter 12 : Why do my outings always end with a battle?

I asked him breaking the ice and turning the tables immediately. he became as still as a statue.

"You can trust me, you know,"

I murmured.

"I don't know if I have a choice anymore."

His voice was almost a whisper. I stretched my hand across the table to touch the back of his hand shyly with my fingertips. His eyes flickered to mine and I gave him a warm smile.

"are you a vampire, Edward?"

his face was set in carefully blank mask. I decided to play it stupid and carefree. I started talking in a low, emotional voice.

"It doesn't matter to me what you are."

A hard, mocking edge entered his voice.

"You don't care if I'm a monster? If I'm not human!"

"No."

Game. Set.

"You aren't concerned about my diet either?"

he asked sarcastically, and I held back a smile as he opened the subject himself.

"Oh, that."

"Yes, that. Don't you want to know if I drink blood?"

"Well, I was told something about that."

"What?"

"You don't... hunt people. Your family only hunts animals"

I trailed. I was surprised he didn't caught up as to 'who' told me all that. He replied in a whisper

"I don't want to be a monster."

"But animals aren't enough?"

"I can't be sure, of course, but I'd compare it to living on tofu and soy milk; we call ourselves vegetarians, our little inside joke. It doesn't completely satiate the hunger — or rather thirst. But it keens us strong enough to resist. Most of the time."

He looked so forlom I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

"is this why your eyes are gold?"

"yes. if we were hunting humans they'd be red"

"how? I mean i eat meat but my eyes aren't different that someone's who eats veggies only"

he smirked. throwing caution to the wind I changed my eye color from blue/green color to pure gold, the normal color all gods have, for less than a heartbeat. his eyes flashed to mine and i knew i had him hooked.

time to turn on the charm.

"I didn't like not seeing you these past few days at school"

"why?"

he asked almost hopefully. time to win the Oscar

"I... I like you"

I mumbled pouting. he flashed a coy winning smile before schooling his expression.

This is wrong."

I couldn't understand his response.

"What did I say?"

"Don't you see, Bella? It's one thing for me to make myself miserable, but a wholly other thing for you to be so involved. I'm dangerous, Bella — please, grasp that."

Oh, mr. big bad vamp likes being a martyr then?

"Its ,y choice"

I blushed and touched his hand lightly with mine. he responded by intertwining our fingers.

Game. set. match.

my HPhone buzzed in my purse making a sound like waves crushing on the beach. I answered it.

"Hello?"

"I need your help. Now"

Percy shouted and the call ended. I hanged up the phone and stood immediately.

"I have to go, see you tomorrow."

before Edward could move a muscle, I pecked him on the cheek, ran out the restaurant and dove at the sea.

"Please, take me to Percy Jackson"

I said and summoned a wave to take me. its amazing how fast i reached my destination. In less than a few minutes I found myself in a lake inside a mountain. my inner underwater GPS told me I was in at mount Tamalpais, San Fransisco, California.

The sunset made a blood red slash across the sea. There was only one path to the top, directly in front of us. And it led through a lush meadow of shadows and flowers: the garden of twilight, just like I'd seen in the paintings back home.

the garden was the most beautiful place I've ever seen. the grass shimmered with silvery evening light, and the flowers were such brilliant colors they almost glowed in the dark. Stepping stones of polished black marble led around either side of a five-story-tall apple tree, every bough glistering with golden apples, and I don't mean yellow golden apples like in the grocery store. I mean real golden apples.

The apples of immortality. Hera's wedding gift from Zeus..

A huge dragon was wrapped around the base of the tree. The serpent's body was as thick as a booster rocket, glinting with coppery scales. He had more heads than I could count, as if a hundred deadly pythons had been fused together. He appeared to be asleep. The heads lay curled in a big spaghetti-like mound on the grass, all the eyes closed.

Making as little noise as possible I ran up the path, through the garden until I reached the summit. A few yards ahead of me, grey clouds swirled in a heavy vortex, making a funnel cloud that almost touched the mountaintop, but instead rested on the shoulders of a twelve-year-old girl with auburn hair and a tattered silvery dress: Artemis, her legs bound to the rope with celestial bronze chains. she was forced to hold the roof of the world! My heart almost stopped at the sight. I had never seen a goddess in pain before, but the weight of the sky was clearly too much for Artemis.

I looked quickly around.

- - - scene breaker - - -

"Fool! Did you think, simply because you could challenge that pesky war god, that you could stand up to me?"

a guy that i assumed was Atlas attacked perky. he was clammy and looked sick. I threw Katoptris at him and jumped in front of Percy pushing him out of the way. the javelin caught me in the chest and sent me flying like a rag doll. I slammed into the ground, my head spinning. I looked up and found I was at the feet of Artemis, still straining under the weight of the sky.

"the sky, Give it to me."

"No honey"

Artemis said. Her forehead was beaded with metallic sweat, like quicksilver.

"You don't know what you're asking. It will crush you!"

"I don't care"

"You have the spirit of a true huntress but you will not last"

"Don't tell my mother!" I muttered "Give me the weight of the sky!"

I didn't wait for her answer. I took out Riptide and slashed through her chains. Then I stepped next to her and braced myself on one knee —holding up my hands— and touched the cold, heavy clouds. For a moment, Artemis and I bore the weight together. It was the heaviest thing I'd ever felt, as if I were being crushed under a thousand trucks. I wanted to black out from the pain, but I breathed deeply. I can do this. then Artemis slipped out from under the burden, and I held it alone. Every muscle in my body turned to fire. My bones felt like they were melting. I wanted to scream, but I didn't have the strength to open my mouth. I began to sink, lower and lower to the ground, the sky's weight crushing me.

"Fight back"! My parents' voices said inside my head. "Don't give up."

I concentrated on breathing. If I could just keep the sky alone a few more seconds. My vision turned fuzzy. Everything was tinged with red. Sweat poured down my face. My hands were slippery. My shoulders would've screamed with agony if they could. I felt like the vertebrae in my spine were being welded together by a blowtorch. Atlas advanced, pressing Artemis. She was fast, but his strength was unstoppable. His javelin slammed into the earth where Artemis had been a split second before, and a fissure opened in the rocks. He leaped over it and kept pursuing her. She was leading him back towards me.

"Bring him over here"

"Get ready"

I spoke in her mind and she replied the same way. I was losing the ability to think through the pain.

"You fight well for a girl." Atlas laughed. "But you are no match for me."

He feinted with the tip of his javelin and Artemis dodged. I saw the trick coming. Atlas' javelin swept around and knocked Artemis' legs off the ground. She fell, and Atlas brought up his javelin tip for the kill.

"the first blood in a new war"

Atlas gloated. And he stabbed downward. As fast as thought, Artemis grabbed his javelin shaft. It hit the earth right next to her and she pulled backwards, using the javelin like a lever, kicking the Titan Lord and sending him flying over her, I saw him coming down on top of me. I loosened my grip on the sky, and as Atlas slammed into me I didn't try to hold on. I let myself be pushed out of the way and rolled for all I was worth. the weight of the sky dropped onto Atlas' back, almost smashing him flat until he managed to get to his knees, struggling to get out from under the crushing weight of the sky. But it was too late.

"Noooooo!"

He bellowed so hard it shook the mountain.

"Not again!"

Atlas was trapped under his old burden. I tried to stand and fell back again, dazed from pain. My body felt like it was burning up. Percy and a girl that I assumed was Thalia (she did have Zeus' electric blue eyes) had backed Luke to the edge of a cliff, but still they fought on, next to the golden coffin, that housed the remains of Kronos. Luke had a bloody slash across his chest and his pale face glistened with sweat. Thalia put her spear point to his throat. For a moment, there was silence.

"Well?"

"It's my last chance. He will use the other way if you don't agree. Please."

Luke whispered. I didn't know what he meant, but the fear in his voice sounded real enough. I believed that Luke was in danger. Behind him, the golden sarcophagus began to glow

"Don't kill him!"

Percy tried to stop Thalia but she only shouted

"He's a traitor"

In my daze, I realized that Artemis was no longer with me. She had run off towards the black rocks where Zoe had fallen.

"We'll bring Luke back" Percy pleaded. "To Olympus. He… he'll be useful."

"Is that what you want, Percy?" Luke sneered. "To go back to Olympus in triumph? To please your dad?"

Without thinking, Thalia kicked Luke away. He lost his balance, terror on his face, and then he fell.

"Luke!"

I screamed. I wanted to believe he was still alive, but that was impossible. the fall was fifty feet at least, and he wasn't moving. One of the giants looked up and growled

"Kill them!"

I was stiff with grief, tears streaming down my cheeks. Percy pulled Thalia back and she made a move at him with her sword but a wave of javelins sailed over their heads. We ran for the rocks, ignoring the curses and threats of Atlas as we passed.

"Artemis!" I yelled.

the goddess looked up, her face almost as grief-stricken as mine. Zoe lay in the goddess' arms. She was breathing. Her eyes were open. But still…

"?e wound is poisoned" Artemis said.

"the stars" Zoe murmured. "I cannot see them."

"Nectar and ambrosia" Percy said. "Come on! We have to get her some."

No one moved. Grief hung in air; I wrapped my arms around him and brought his head to my shoulder. Artemis raised her hunting horn to her lips, and its clear sound echoed down the valleys. Soon a silver flying chariot pulled by deer and driven by Apollo appeared. I watched as Artemis carried the injured girl inside followed by Annabeth. I pulled the Thalia back.

"Listen, I don't know you and I don't care to get to know you but if you attack my brother again, I throw you off the face of the earth. Got it?"

"and you are?"

"Bella, daughter of Poseidon"

"Another possible hero?"

"Not exactly. My mother is Aphrodite"

her eyes widened and she nodded her head. I pointed towards the chariot.

"go"

Percy helped her inside and came to me

"are you coming?"

"no Perce. I have work to do. Kronos recruited some vampires. I need to fix it and I'll be home then"

"try not get killed. I like having a sister"

"ditto"

I hugged him and winked to Apollo who tipped an invincible hat and pulled the chariot away. Behind me, the army of Kronos roared in anger as they gathered on the summit of Mount Tamalpais, but the loudest sound was the voice of Atlas, bellowing curses against the gods as he struggled under the weight of the sky. I jogged back to the lake and let the water transport me to Charlie's.


	14. Chapter 13: Graduation dates

Chapter 13: Graduation dates

- - - scene breaker - - -

As the weeks passed my anxiety mounted. My brain told me I had months before the prophesied snow fall that would mark the deadline fell but my gut was insisting that time was running out.

I finished school with the rest of my class. Imagine my surprise when a long white limo pulled into the school's parking lot with all the trucks and the SUV's. The door opened three people got out. First was a guy in his early forties, dark brown hair leaning on a flamed cane. My first idea was Dr. House but a second glance told me it was Hephaerstus.

After him my mother got out. Her looks change so that who ever sees her sees his idea of pure beauty. Being her daughter I could see her chosen form. she was dressed in a tight red cocktail dress with her long blond hair flowing gently in waves down her back and a pair of grey tinted sunglasses covering her bright pink eyes.

Last person out of the limo was Poseidon, my Dad, who was predictably dressed like a fisherman. Ironically enough his scruffy face, fisherman shorts and vest made him look right at place.

They sat with Charlie who looked intimidated enough but as Jessica delivered her Valedictorian speech snow began falling.

I stopped breathing.

- - - Scene Breaker - - -

The moment the graduation ceremony was over I hugged my parents quickly; bid them a "Hi" and "Bye" before asking Edward out on a date. Time to end this charade and end it now.

Our date was held in a meadow at the nearby woods. Why we couldn't go to a cafe or at a park like normal people is beyond me. On the plus side the five miles we had to hike in order to reach said meadow were nothing compared to the hiking I've done before so I avoided looking like a sweaty mess.

Although I had never hiked in a dress and heels before...

For the most part, we walked in silence. Occasionally he would ask a random question that he hadn't gotten to in the past days of interrogation. He asked about my birthdays, my grade school teachers, my childhood pets... Luckily I have a wild imagination and at least a hundred demigods to borrow information from.

Tackling the 'exes' subject he insisted he was a 109 year old virgin - and I could see my mother pointing at him and laughing in my minds eye. He seemed as surprised as Jessica and Angela by my lack of romantic history.

"So you never met anyone you wanted?"

"Not in Phoenix."

I held a smile thinking of a- I've never even been in Phoenix & b- the only guy I've ever wanted was Luke!

He didn't like my answer though and his lips pressed together into a hard line. Luckily for me we reached the meadow then.

The meadow was small, perfectly round, and filled with wildflowers — violet, yellow, and soft white. Somewhere nearby, I could hear the bubbling music of a

stream. The snow had stopped and the sun was directly overhead, filling the circle with a haze of buttery sunshine. Beautiful...

However Edward in the sunlight was shocking. His skin, white despite the faint flush his most recent hunting trip, literally sparkled, like thousands of tiny diamonds were embedded in the surface. A perfect statue, carved in some unknown stone, smooth like marble, glittering like crystal. I had to bite my lip and stop the respond that fought its way out

"You look like disco ball!"

I mean, come on seriously? I suppose the glistening skin is probably used to attract their pray but to be honest it is kind of ridiculous. I half expected him to have an afro hairdo and start dancing like Travolta! hmm...

To make it worse he decided to show me what a vampire is supposed to be all about.

"I'm the world's best predator. Everything about me invites you in — my voice, my face, even my smell. As if I need any of that!"

I leaned back on my arms watching the show choosing to remain silent. He was on his feet, bounding away, instantly out of sight, only to appear beneath the same tree as before, having circled the meadow in half a second.

"As if you could outrun me," he laughed bitterly.

He reached up with one hand and, with a deafening crack, effortlessly ripped a two-foot-thick branch from the trunk of the spruce. He balanced it in that hand for a moment, and then threw it with blinding speed, shattering it against another huge tree, which shook and trembled at the blow. And he was in front of me again, standing two feet away, still as a stone.

"As if you could fight me off," he said gently.

I sat without moving waiting to see where he was going with it. I'd never seen him so completely freed of that carefully cultivated facade. His wild eyes seem to glow with rash excitement. Then, as the seconds passed, they dimmed. His expression slowly folded into a mask of ancient sadness.

"Don't be afraid"

"I'm not. More like bored outta my skull"

I opted for honesty. However he ignored me once again and he went on preaching to the choir.

"You see, every person smells different, has a different essence. If you locked an alcoholic in a room full of stale beer, he'd gladly drink it. But he could resist, if he wished to, if he were a recovering alcoholic. Now let's say you placed in that room a glass of hundred-year-old brandy, the rarest, finest cognac — and filled the room with its warm aroma — how do you think he would fare then?"

We sat silently, looking into each other's eyes — trying to read each other's thoughts. He broke the silence first.

"Maybe that's not the right comparison. Maybe it would be too easy to turn down the brandy. Perhaps I should have made our alcoholic a heroin addict instead."

"So what you're saying is, I'm your brand of heroin?"

I asked shyly and at his sorrowful nod I burst into a loud laughter.

Slowly I let my body dissolve and take my eternal form. My eternal form, like all Gods, is a cloud of pure energy. We just prefer taking a human form since its easier for you people to see as humans. His patronizing look changed to one of pure fear and slowly I regained my 17 year old look leaving my eyes golden for a moment before they faded to sea green with a ring of hot pink on the outside. I smirked and casually pointed Katoptris to his neck pricking the skin and allowing a drop of fluid to spill

"Hello sweetie. We need to talk"


	15. Chapter 14: It's the end of the Clan

Chapter 14: It's the end of the Clan as we know it

I pushed Katoptris a little deeper and charmspoke him.

"Let's go back to your house"

He complied against his will but that's the power of charmspeaking. It's much stronger than a vampire's dazzling and makes you do whatever I want them to. Also it lets no room for loopholes. I let Edward guide me through the thick forest back to his stupid shiny Volvo, and then he drove us to his house.

The house was timeless, graceful, and probably a hundred years old. It was painted a soft, faded white, three stories tall, rectangular and well proportioned. The windows and doors were either part of the original structure or a perfect restoration. I could hear the river close by, hidden in the obscurity of the forest.

We walked through the deep shade up to the porch. I knew he could feel my tension; his thumb rubbed soothing circles into the back of my hand. He opened the door for me.

The inside was even more surprising, less predictable, than the exterior. It was very bright, very open, and very large. This must have originally been several rooms, but the walls had been removed from most of the first floor to create one wide space. The back, south-facing wall had been entirely replaced with glass, and, beyond the shade of the cedars, the lawn stretched bare to the wide river. A massive curving staircase dominated the west side of the room. The walls, the high-beamed ceiling, the wooden floors, and the thick carpets were all varying shades of white.

Waiting to greet us, standing just to the left of the door, on a raised portion of the floor by a spectacular grand piano, were Edward's parents.

They both were frozen like statues with nothing but their eyes moving from Edward to Katoptris still pointing on his neck to me. I motioned to the open living room.

"Get the rest of the coven and sit down"

I instructed. They complied and in an instant the four remaining vampires joined us and everyone was sitting on the floor right in front of the stairs. I couldn't help but rolling my eyes

"I meant sit in the living room but you sat wherever you feel more comfortable. I guess vampirism doesn't make you civilized. Peasants you were and peasants you remained"

The blond vamp's eyes narrowed but I only smiled back at her. This may be their turf but I'm higher on the food chain. I sat down on an armchair and crossed my legs.

I started with the easy question.

"How long have you been eating humans?"

If I expected them to argue 'we don't eat humans' I'd be disappointed as no one argued. Instead they just stared in front of them, not breathing and unmoving. I rolled my eyes tired of the theatrics.

"Or more accurately... how long have you been eating Gods?"

That got a reply.

Daddy & Eddie vamps smirked, Bitch vamp rolled her eyes, Pixie vamp's eyes kept focusing and unfocusing and Mommy vamp seemed calm. If I didn't know any better I'd say she was stoned! Strangely enough though Footballer Vamp flinched and Empath Vamp looked disgusted.

I looked Daddy vamp in the eyes and asked him to tell me why they ate Gods charmspeaking him to tell me the truth and nothing but the truth.

"The Volturi have been ruling for far too long. Its time we get back on the thrones"

I figured as much

"We?"

"The Romanian coven"

"How long has this been going on?"

"I was born in London, in the sixteen-forties..."

I raised my hand to stop him.

"I don't want the pamphlet, I want the truth"

He glared at me, along with four of his children. I ignored them noticing that empath vamp was tensing, seemingly lost in thoughts.

"I was approached by Stefan last year. He offered me a deal. I accepted"

"And nibbled on my grandfather"

"Exactly"

Eddie piped in smiling extra creepily. Suddenly there was one more question burning me as I noticed the satisfied smirks on more than half the coven.

"Have you killed a god?"

Dr. Fang nodded satisfied and as he uttered the name my body took a life of its own.

"Anteros"

Katoptris showed me the death of my brother who was fathered by Ares and mothered by Aphrodite and I threw it across the room. It easily pierced the skin of daddy vamp and nailed him to the wall.

"You killed my brother!"

"He was yummy"

Rosalie and Edward said at the same time and a blur passed in front of my eyes and pinned Edward to the ground. Blinking I realized that it was Empath vamp who had attacked Eddie and the two were fighting. Eddie was fast but Empath vamp was more skilled and was wrapped in a blood red aura intimidating Eddie. Rosalie screamed in terror as her hair was ruffled in the fight and tapping Kataklysmos I battled Pixie vamp who threw herself at me.

She may be able to see the future but she can't see Gods allowing me to beat her within seconds. Soon Edward's dismembered body was on top of hers with daddy vamp's laying near them. Footballer vamp was holding the other two back.

I turned to Empath.

"So... you're Ares' kid?"

He nodded

"Jasper Whitlock"

He extended his hand to me and I shook it

"Isabella"

"Did you know..?"

"No ma'am"

"Don't call me ma'am, I'm way younger than you soldier"

"Major"

He said in a flirty tone and i rolled my eyes

"Just because you're suddenly single and our parents are doing the horizontal mambo doesn't mean you're getting a chance with me"

He chuckled in a southern accent. Gone was the golden color of his eyes and it was replaced with vibrant red, same with the Footballer.

"What now?"

Footballer asked and I shrugged.

"I kill you all"

"Who the hell do you think you are to tell us what to do?"

Blondie snarled and I pierced her with a harsh glare and simply cut off her head with Kataklysmos. At Footballer's amused expression I shrugged

"She pissed me off"

Footballer lit a fire in the massive fireplace and the three of us dumped the dismembered vampires in them. Without saying a word mommy vamp simply stepped into the fireplace on her own and immediately caught fire.

"Does she ever speak?"

I asked no one in particular.

"I don't want to die"

Footballer exclaimed. I answered him without looking

"Your mother will kick my ass to the next millennia if I kill you, footballer"

"footballer? I like it!"

I shook my head chuckling and whipped my phone out. Since there were no humans around it turned to its real shape and I placed it on the large coffee table.

"Who's your mother?"

Jasper asked and I threw a golden drachma in the water

"Iris"

I replied pointing to a tattoo on the massive arm of the vampire. The tattoo was a small rainbow. Footballer looked at me like I were crazy.

"O, Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering. I wish to speak with Aro in Volterra"

The goddess accepted my offering and within moments I could see in the small fountain an image of the throne room.

"Aristomenis, Kinstantine, Marko how are you?"

I bowed my head at them and they mimicked my actions.

"All is well young Isabella. And you?"

"Near adulthood finally!"

All three chuckled.

"You know we don't go by these names anymore"

Marko reprimanded me and I nodded obediently.

"Aro, Caius and Marcus. I still prefer the original ones though"

I said smiling.

"One should keep with times young lady. Why are you calling?"

the ever charming and nice Caius demanded

"You had a breach here and its taken care off. However I have two demigods turned vampires for you. They'll be an asset if they wish to assist you"

I motioned to the vampires in the room with me and sat back to watch them interact, discuss and come to an agreement.

"We should set up a game"

A much chirper Aro said. I nodded

"We should, its been too long. We should schedule a celebratory game, I have a feeling it won't be long now"

Soon after the arrangements were done we bid goodbye.

"What game? I want in!"

Emmett - as his name was - asked with the happiness that was customary to all of Iris' kids. I smiled again, feeling much lighter for the first time in months and I leaned back on my armchair.

"In the ancient Greece, right after the Gods helped the Greek vampires overthrow the Romanians they introduced them to a game..."


	16. Chapter 15: Percy learns how to drive

Chapter 15: Percy learns how to drive

After putting both vampires on a plane for Italy I got in my car and whistling made my way to Charlie's house. He wasn't alone. Percy was sitting right in front of him looking mortified. Charlie was on the phone.

"Perce?"

"hey"

The kid was subdued. I dropped my purse and went to sit next to him.

"Perce? What's wrong honey?"

"I'm turning sixteen next month"

"Oh Perce!"

I hugged him and held him close letting him cry out his frustrations. Charlie walked back into the room.

"What's wrong?"

"Charlie, this is Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon and probably the prophesied demigod that will either save or kill Olympus. Percy this is Charlie Swan, son of Poseidon."

"Prophesied?"

Charlie asked me. I rolled my eyes and sited the prophesy.

_"A Half-Blood of the eldest gods, _

_shall reach sixteen against all odds _

_And see the world in endless sleep _

_the hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap _

_A single choice shall end his days _

_Olympus to preserve or raze. _

Percy is the only Demigod of the Big Three since the '50s that's still around"

Charlie looked clueless so I kept talking

"Right after WWII that prophesy was given. Officially the Big Three stopped having kids under the pretense that their offspring's kept fighting and actually started WWII. In truth they were afraid of the Prophesy coming true"

"What about me?"

Charlie exclaimed and I rolled my eyes.

"They all cheated"

I deadpanned

"Poseidon had you and Percy. Zeus had Thalia who took herself out of the equasion by becoming a huntress for Artemis a few months ago. Hades had two kids as well, Nico and Bianca. Bianca died and Nico is too young. However everyone is sold on Percy being the prophesied Hero"

I motioned to Percy who used my left breast as pillow and was fast and deeply asleep.

"How many hoops did they make him jump through?"

Charlie asked me with his daddy instincts on red alert

"Too many"

I replied.

"We need to call his parents Bella. They must be worried sick"

Charlie insisted and I nodded with a yawn. I tickled Percy's nose until he fessed up his home number while still sleeping and Charlie called him mom

"Mrs Jackson? ... This is Sheriff Swan in Forks, Washington... It is about your son, Percy?... No, no he's alright, don't worry... Our kids share the same father ma'am. Okay, Sally then. I'm coming to New York myself so is it ok if I bring him along?.. Yes, yes I noted it down. See you soon ma.. Sally. Goodnight"

Charlie hanged up the phone, his cheeks the faintest of red. I raised an eyebrow at him but he pretended to not see me and helped me lay Percy to the couch to sleep

"see you in the morning Sheriff"

I joked and Charlie shut his bedroom door with no answer. I giggled

Next day the summer sun was up high and bright and we packed for the road trip. We thought about flying but three Poseidon's kids in one plane? No need to be the COD for a lot of people... Charlie took a leave of absence for the summer using my future college education as a ruse.

Percy who had fallen asleep on me yesterday was still silent and looking outside the window. Charlie was concerned and frankly, so was I. I turned backwards on my seat ignoring the high-speed Charlie was driving.

"Perce?"

"yeah?"

"what happened in the Labyrinth?"

Percy jumped

"How do you know about that"

Luke told me in my dreams

"Doesn't matter. What matters is what happened and why you're like this"

Percy sighed and ran his hair with his fingers

"Annabeth got a quest and a group of us went into the Labyrinth to find Daedalus"

"wait. The Daedalus?"

Charlie exclaimed and Percy nodded. I steered them back on track

"What next?"

While in the maze, Tyson and Grover leave the group to search for the lost god Pan. Me and Annabeth found our way to the Triple G Ranch where we learned that Nico is being held there against his will. We managed to get Nico free but he was so out of it lost in anger that Eurytion agreed to watch Nico"

"sounds simple so far. What next?"

Charlie asked.

"We found ourselves at Mount Saint Helens at Hephaestus forge where a group of telekhines were using it to forge Kronos' Scythe. I told Annabeth to run away and tell Hephaestus what is happening while I'd give her time to escape. She kissed me"

Percy's starry eyed expression was so cute that made Charlie mutter

"Young love"

That made Percy freeze and go back to the story.

"I fought the telekhines and created an explosion on the mountain making me land in Ogygia with Calypso."

"Wait, THE Calypso? The same one that was trapped on her island for supporting her Kronos?"

I asked Percy.

"yeah, she took care of me until Hephaestus arrived and told me I was presumed dead so I left Calypso and went to camp. We realized we needed a clear sighted mortal to help us and I asked Rachel"

I burst laughing at that. Charlie raised a bushy eyebrow.

"Rachel has a crush on Percy, Percy likes Annabeth and Annabeth won't admit to herself she does like him back"

I said teasingly choosing to ignore the fact that Annabeth also has the hots for my Luke. Percy went as red as a streetlight.

"leave the kid alone Bella and take the wheel"

Charlie took Percy's side on that still chuckling I took the wheel while Charlie went into the back seat with Percy to munch on chips together.

"She agreed to help us eventually we made it to Daedalus' workshop. We found out that Quintus who worked at the Camp and Daedalus are one and the same and he just wanted to know if the camp had a chance of surviving the attack from Luke's army, which according to him we don't."

Charlie rolled his eyes muttering about how annoying Athena's kids are mirroring my sentiments. Percy chose to ignore him (even though a small smile crept on his lips) and went on

"Luke's forces entered the workshop with Nico captured who was lured back into the labyrinth. We escaped the attack but Daedalus was left behind. Rachel saw an exit leading to the Titan stronghold in Mount Othrys, so I went to take a look while wearing Annabeth's Yankees Cap"

"what cap?"

Charlie interrupted.

"Annabeth has an invincibility cap. If you wear it you become invincible"

I answered as Percy was busy drinking some coke.

"like Harry Potter?"

"Now what you mention it..."

Percy tried to ignore the jab but failed miserably and kept laughing.

"I found a coffin with Luke's body in it"

I gasped and lost control of the car that skidded across the tarmac for a moment.

"You okay Bella?"

Percy asked and I nodded.

"What happened then?"

Percy studied my face and went on quietly

"Ethan Nakamura, an unclaimed demigod, swore his loyalty to Kronos, causing Kronos to be revived in Luke's body. I ran away before they could catch me"

He finished quietly. I forced back tears. That explains why I saw Luke in my dreams as the little kid I met and why he said goodbye.

"After we got back to camp Luke's forces attacked"

"You mean Kronos"

I interrupted him.

"The battle seemed lost until Grover uses the power of Pan (panic) to scare the monsters back into the labyrinth. Daedalus then sacrificed his own life so that the labyrinth would be destroyed"

Charlie wrapped an arm around Percy who finished his story in a whisper

"The day we left the camp, yesterday, I asked Annabeth why she was so sad and she told me that the last line of the prophesy was about Luke. She lost a love to a fate worse than death"

Percy fell asleep then and I couldn't help the sneer.

"you okay Bella?"

I shook my head.

"Let's say that this battle became personal Charlie"

we were silent for a few hours till Percy woke up and Charlie told him to take the wheel.

"I don't know how to drive"

Percy exclaimed but Charlie only chuckled.

"You're almost sixteen kiddo. You need to learn"

The last thing I heard before closing my eyes was Charlie's less than comical instruction to buckle up.


	17. Chapter 16: Our time is running out

Chapter 16 : Our time is running out

I woke up as we arrived in New York. The loud honks, the constant shouting and Charlie's muttering about horrible traffic reminded me of home. Percy was giving directions for his home in Manhattan excited looking much more radiant than was when I fell asleep.

Soon we were pulling in on a parking spot in front of an apartment building. Percy fished a keychain with a sea shell and opened the door, led us to the top floor and rang a door.

The door opened almost immediately and a woman around Charlie's age thrust Percy in her arms ignoring his protests. I could only assume she was Percy's mom. She has long straight brown hair and bright sparkly blue eyes. She has a few laugh and smile lines but they only served in making her look real. She released Percy and turned her eyes to us. Percy introduced Charlie first who was standing a little straighter and puffer than usually. Sally, Percy's mom, gave Charlie a bright smile thanking him for taking Percy in and bringing him home. When she turned to me, her eyes widened slightly. I gave her a shy smile realizing she was looking at my true form and she ushered us inside.

The inside of the apartment was bright, well kept and blue. The walls were painted the softest of blue and a dark blue rag was on the floor. We took a seat in the living room where coffee was waiting and a large plate of blue cupcakes.

"you really like the color blue, don't you?"

Charlie said and sally blushed. Percy caught my eye and winked slyly. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"I do, actually"

She said and for a moment there was absolute silence in the room as the two adults were just looking at each other. I cleared my throat breaking their heated gaze much to Percy's amusement. Percy filled his mother in a much kinder and to the point tale of what happened at the Camp as well as to who and what Charlie and I were to him.

"Let me get this straight. Charles you're a son of Poseidon, Isabella is a daughter of Aphrodite and Poseidon as well and you're both here for..."

"Helping in the final battle"

charlie finished.

"Thank you"

Sally smiled warmly at Charlie who didn't even bat an eyelash at the use of his full name. Percy suddenly grabbed my arm saying we should check the Camp and led me out the door before the adults could say a word.

"Percy what's the matter with you?"

I asked him as soon as we descended the stairs outside the building.

"I've never asked you for anything"

he started

"oh oh"

I interrupted him

"I don't like the guy my mom dates and she'd be perfect for Charlie"

"You want me to make her fall in love with Charlie?"

I exclaimed and the sixteen year old boy smiled brighter than the sun

"YES"

"okay"

his sea-green eyes widened

"really?"

"uh huh"

I nodded and he enquired

"how come? I thought you'd make me beg for hours"

"Well as fun as it is to watch you beg I felt this flutter when they looked at each other. even with no push from me those two will be together. I guess I small nudge won't hurt"

I smirked at Percy who hugged me tightly. Laughing we headed to the old man sitting behind the desk in the lobby of the apartment building asking for the owner of the apartment on sale right across the corridor from Sally's. We called him and set up a meeting for the same afternoon.

"what do we do now?"

Percy asked. I shrugged.

"Whatever you want"

by the time the sun set, Percy had dragged me all around New York for sightseeing, clothes shopping, the school he hoped to start this fall and many more places including the 'Central Perk' and the Central Park I was dead tired.

"I thought Central Perk was a sound studio"

"It was but the owners loved the show so much they opened a cafe and named it like that keeping the original show structure"

I commented as we were greeted by the landlord.

"Are you mr. Brooks?"

"Indeed I am. And you are?"

"Isabella Swan, this is my brother Perceus"

I used our full names. Mr. Brooks showed us around the apartment which had a rather large living room connected with a large spacious kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom.

"How much?"

"750 a month" (A/N: No idea if that's too expensive or not)

He said and I had to roll my eyes to the astronomical price. I gave him my best smile and charmspoke him

"You're going to add a zero to that price and sell it to me. You will not think twice about it and never come back"

Mr. Brooks whipped out a set of papers and I signed on them using Charlie's name wishing the man off.

"Have you ever heard of personal gain?"

Percy asked me

"Does Peter Parker post photos of Spiderman to earn a living?"

"Weren't you supposed to be secluded in the camp for years?"

he asked me his eyes wide

"I got seriously bored in Forks"

he burst laughing and we returned to his mother's house. Much to our surprise Charlie and Sally were fast asleep on the sofa, credits were rolling on the tv. Percy popped turned the tv off and I covered the sleeping pair with the soft blanket that was thrown over the sofa's back. I followed Percy to his room. He was about to make a bed for himself on the floor for him but I threw him on the bed before plopping myself on it.

"Sleep Perce"

Being awake for almost two days in a row plus the excitement of the driving with Charlie had Percy out immediately. I laid there completely awake, counting the seconds as they ticked on the alarm clock.

The next day I helped Sally make blueberry pancakes for breakfast smiling to myself when she asked me about Charlie and Percy talked Charlie into 'renting' the apartment for a few months until his bday. After breakfast Percy and I had to go back to Camp Halfblood to start our new term.

According to the Great Prophesy the Battle would happen right after Percy's sixteenth birthday which was on August eighteenth. Today is August tenth.

We are running out of time.


	18. Chapter 17: From Italy to Hades in 60'

Chapter 17: From Italy to the underworld in 60 seconds

I had gone to Olympus to visit my family and tagged along with Dionysus to see of I could help motivate some minor Gods into not joining Kronos. Can't say it worked.

Percy and I talked daily with IM's and I was informed of Grover the Satyr going AWOL but I had agreed on keep looking for allies. An idea had popped on my mind but I refused to act on it unless we were seriously out of options.

Percy had also told me he was planning on dropping by Luke's mom following Nico's advice to find how Luke's demigod body could be a suitable host for Kronos.

I went to Volterra.

The three Vampire leaders were up to their necks in battle preparations and even the normally gloomy Marcus was strangely excited.

"I need minor gods"

I moaned taking a seat in Aro's throne. He raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

"How are things here?"

"Not very well. The Romanians are gathering up quite the army and this time they are smarter"

Caius said

"what do you mean, smarter?"

"Last time we were at war they chose brute strength over skills and they lost. This time they are looking for gifted vampires that aren't newborns"

"so they will be more conscious during the Battle"

I finished for him and he nodded.

"no wonder he rounded up the Cullens, then"

Aro nodded and Jasper walked in. He looked tired if that's even possible for a vampire but also dangerously alive. No wonder he was called the Major during the Civil War vampire outbreak.

"Bella!"

I smiled and we hugged

"Aro, I am leaving for Alaska. Carlisle had relations with a coven there with golden eyes, like his coven"

I groaned. Perfect!

"Of course Jasper. Will you need assistance?"

"I already have my people, I'm good"

Jasper clicked on his heels and left the room.

"his people?"

I asked the room. Markus replied that Jasper meant two vampires from the civil war.

"correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Houston filled with small wannabe Volturi covens?"

"It is, so we had them destroyed before the Romanians could get their hands on them. Luckily for us the illusion of the animal diet sent a lot of rogue vampires our way"

I chuckled with him before a vision had me blacking out.

Percy and Nico stood in the underworld in front of the three Furies.

"You know Alecto?" Nico asked Percy.

"If you mean the hag in the middle, yeah. She was my maths teacher."

Nico nodded, like this didn't surprise him. He looked up at the Furies and took

a deep breath.

"I've done what my father asked. Take us to the palace."

Percy tensed.

"Wait a second, Nico. What do you—"

"I'm afraid this is my new lead, Percy. My father promised me information about my family, but he wants to see you before we try the river. I'm sorry."

"You tricked me?"

Percy lunged at the younger kid, but the Furies were fast. Two of them swooped down and plucked Percy up by the arms. His sword, Riptide, fell out of his hand, and my brother was dangling sixty feet in the air.

I jumped upright as a putrid scent infiltrated my nostrils. I saw Aro leaning over me placing a goblet filled with human blood under my nose. I gagged and pushed it away.

"Are you alright?"

A short blond girl with strangely friendly red eyes and I nodded

"Empathy link, the closer I get to my birthday the stronger it becomes with my parents' children"

I muttered and allowed the girl to lift me up.

"I need to go now, duty calls"

I left the castle without looking back heading for the fields I had left my pegasus, whitey. She was there munching on some fresh grass when I leapt on her back.

"Come on girl, we need to get to Los Angeles"

"NO"

was her loud reply. I'm not crazy; I can just talk to horses because my father created them. Pegasi are horses with wings.

"Percy is in danger, girl. We need to get to LA so I can get to the underworld, I don't like it either"

she grumbled under her breath but obeyed and flew with the speed of light. Before I knew it I was in LA at the Hollywood label entering the underworld. It stank horribly in there and I had to watch my footing. Holding my sword in front of me I let the thin yarn of energy guide me through the place undetected to the river Styx.

Right in front of me Percy was submerged under the murky waters looking like he was drowning. Nico, dressed in the Hades kids' customary black was muttering

"Oh my gods, I killed Percy Jackson!"

over an over again. I wasn't crazy enough to take a dive myself so I simply shouted at Percy.

"Percy! get out here"

he stopped fighting the waters. Then I remembered the legend of the river. you need to create a weakness in your body in order to get out!

"The cord Percy! Remember your lifeline, dummy"

I shouted again and again and suddenly Percy moved.

"Hold on baby brother. I promised your mother you I won't let you get killed"

I grabbed his arm with Nico grabbing the other and pulled my drenched brother out of the water. I kept calling him names though. why? its fun!

"You stupid, clueless, moron, useless kid!"

Suddenly he burst out of the river and all three of us collapsed on the sand. Nico scrambled back in surprise.

"Your skin. Oh, gods. You're hurt!"

He was right Percy's arms were bright red. lis limbs looked like they had been broiled over a slow flame.

"I'm fine… I think."

Percy said as the colour of his skin turned back to normal. A huge total black Hellhound came up and sniffed him with concern. She looked like one of the huge wolves in La Push.

"who's this?"

I asked Percy

"Mrs O'Leery. My dog"

Percy said and petted the huge dog. I smiled and scratched her huge ears.

"Do you feel stronger?"

Nico asked. Before Percy could reply a voice boomed,

"There!"

An army of the dead marched towards us. A hundred skeletal Roman legionnaires led the way with shields and spears. Behind them came an equal number of British redcoats with bayonets fixed. In the middle of the host, Hades himself rode a black-and-gold chariot pulled by nightmare horses, their eyes and manes smouldering with fire.

"You will not escape me this time, Percy Jackson!" Hades bellowed. "Destroy

him!"

"Father, no!"

Nico shouted, but it was too late. the front line of Roman zombies lowered their spears and advanced. Mrs O'Leary growled and got ready to pounce.

"I'm tired of Hades being a big bully. If I was going to die, I might as well go down fighting."

Percy yelled next to me and stopped me from fighting as he pointed my attention to the River. We yelled in unison, and the River Styx exploded. A black tidal wave smashed into the legionnaires. Spears and shields flew everywhere. Roman zombies began to dissolve, smoke coming off their bronze helmets. The redcoats lowered their bayonets, but I didn't wait for them. I charged.

A hundred muskets fired at me, point blank. All of them missed. I crashed into their line and started hatching with Riptide. Bayonets jabbed. Swords slashed. Guns reloaded and fired. Nothing touched me.

I whirled through the ranks, slashing redcoats to dust, one after the other. My

mind went on autopilot: stab, dodge, cut, deflect, roll. I snuck a look at Percy who was killing left and right with a force similar to Ares'.

I finished off the part of the undead army and turned to look at Percy again. However he did not need my help. Hades, the god of the Underworld was on his back and Percy was on top of him. His knee was planted on Hades' chest. Percy was holding the collar of Hades' royal robes in one fist, and the tip of Riptide sword was poised right over his face.

"Now, Jackson, listen here…"

"Just because I'm a nice person I'll let you go. But first, tell me about that trap!"

Having tricked Percy into not hurting him ,Hades melted into nothing, leaving Percy holding empty black robes. I ran to him and gave him a bone crushing hug.

Nico's mouth hung open.

"You just… with a sword… you just—"

"I think the river thing worked"

"Oh gee. You think?"

nico muttered and I smirked.

"What do you say kids? Time to get outta here?"

Nico nodded and was ready to bolt but Percy stopped him and instructed him to stay here and see if he could get anything else out of his dad,

"Go back to your father. Tell him he owes me for letting him go. Find out what's going to happen to Mount Olympus and convince him to help. Work on

him. You're the only person who might be able to get him to listen."

"That's a depressing thought."

Nico sighed.

"All right. I'll do my best. Besides, he's still hiding something from me about my mum. Maybe I can find out what."

"Good luck. Now Mrs O'Leary and I have to go."

"Where?" Nico said.

Percy and I looked at the cave entrance. I asked mrs. O'Leary if I could ride on her and she crouched low so Percy and I could get safely on her back

"To get this war started"


	19. Chapter 18: Picnic with a Titan

Chapter 18 : Picnic with a Titan

We arrived at Empire State building (where mt. Olympus sits on the 600th floor) and we found out the Gods were off to San Fransisco to battle the Titan Typhoon. Percy took command and divided our army to the four entrances of Manhattan. Then Thalia who had joined the fight, along with the rest of Artemis' huntresses, came to us saying a titan was asking for Percy at the central park. Percy, Thalia, Grover the Satyr and I went to see what's going on.

We could see the white flag from half a mile away. It was as big as a soccer field, carried by a thirty-foot-tall giant with bright blue skin and icy grey hair.

"A Hyperborean"

Thalia said

"The giants of the north. It's a bad sign that they sided with Kronos. They're usually peaceful."

I finished

"You've met them?"

Percy asked and Thalia answered before I could.

"Mmm. There's a big colony in Alberta. You do not want to get into a snowball

fight with those guys."

As the giant got closer, I could see three human-size envoys with him: a demigod in armor, an empousa demon with a black dress and flaming hair, and a tall man in a tuxedo. The empousa held the tux dude's arm, so they looked like a couple on their way to a Broadway show or something — except for her flaming hair and fangs.

"what is that?"

Thalia asked and I rolled my eyes.

"An empousa. Wanna be vampire"

I deadpanned.

The group walked leisurely towards the Helsner Playground. The swings and

ball courts were empty. The only sound was the fountain on Umpire Rock.

"The tux dude is the Titan?"

Percy asked Grover who nodded nervously.

"He looks like a magician. I hate magicians. they usually have rabbits."

I stared at him.

"You're scared of bunnies?"

"Blah-hah-hah! They're big bullies. Always stealing celery from defenseless

satyrs!"

"We'll have to work on your bunny phobia later Here they come."

I said and stood on Percy's right side. He was leading this battle, not me - no matter how much I wanted to protect the kid.

The man in the tux stepped forward. He was taller than an average human about seven feet. His black hair was tied in a ponytail. Dark round glasses covered his eyes, but what really caught my attention was the skin on his face. It was covered in scratches, like he'd been attacked by a small animal, a really, really mad hamster, maybe.

"Percy Jackson, it's a great honor."

the titan said, his lady friend, the empousa, hissed. She'd probably heard how Percy destroyed two of her sisters last summer or maybe she knew how I'd killed a clan of actual vampires. I smiled at her sweetly as Thalia took a step back.

"My dear. Why don't you make yourself comfortable over there, eh?"

The titan said to her and she released his arm and drifted over to a park bench.

"I am Prometheus."

"the fire-stealer guy? The chained-to-the-rock- with-the-vultures guy?"

Percy exclaimed and Prometheus winced. He touched the scratches on his face.

"Please, don't mention the vultures. But yes, I stole fire from the gods and gave it to your ancestors. In return, the ever merciful Zeus had me chained to a rock and tortured for all eternity."

"But—"

"How did I get free? Hercules did that, eons ago. So you see, I have a soft spot for heroes. Some of you can be quite civilized."

"Unlike the company you keep"

Percy noticed. He was looking at the demigod behind the Titan but Prometheus apparently thought he meant the empousa.

"Oh, demons aren't so bad. You just have to keep them well fed. Now,

Percy Jackson, let us parley."

He waved us toward a picnic table and we sat down. Thalia and Grover stood behind us but Percy ordered them to go back. Thalia gritted her teeth but I glared her and she left reluctantly. Grover took much less persuading and he hopped away.

Prometheus sat forward and laced his fingers. He looked earnest, kind, and wise. He spoke to Percy alone, purposely ignoring me

"Percy, I'm the Titan of forethought. I know what's going to happen."

"Also the Titan of crazy counsel. Emphasis on crazy."

I butted in. Prometheus shrugged.

"True enough. I supported the gods in the last war. I told Kronos: 'You don't have the strength. You'll lose.' And I was right. So you see, I know how to pick the winning side. this time, I'm backing Kronos."

"Only because Zeus chained you to a rock"

I argued

"Partly, yes. I won't deny I want revenge. But that's not the only reason I'm supporting Kronos. It's the wisest choice. I'm here because I thought you might listen to reason."

He drew a map on the table with his finger. Wherever he touched, golden lines appeared, glowing on the concrete.

"this is Manhattan. We have armies here, here, here, and here. We know your numbers. We outnumber you twenty to one."

"Your spy has been keeping you posted"

Percy glared at the titan. Prometheus smiled apologetically.

"At any rate, our forces are growing daily. Tonight, Kronos will attack. You will be overwhelmed. You've fought bravely, but there's just no way you can hold all of Manhattan. You'll be forced to retreat to the Empire State Building. there you'll be destroyed. I have seen this. It will happen."

"I've heard that one before. Yet here we are"

I muttered as Percy went silent. I peaked into his thoughts and saw him thinking of his mortal friend, Rachel and a picture. An army at the base of the Empire State Building. A girl said 'I foresee the future. I cannot change it'.

Prometheus spoke with such certainty it was hard not to believe him.

Percy shook his head clearing the image and me out of his mind.

"I won't let it happen"

he growled Prometheus brushed a speck off his tux lapel.

"Percy, you know the Titans and their offspring are not all bad. You've met Calypso."

Percy blushed

"that's different."

"How? Much like me, she did nothing wrong, and yet she was exiled forever simply because she was Atlas' daughter. We are not your enemies. Don't let the worst happen. We offer you peace."

I rolled my eyes. Percy snorted holding his anger back and rubbed the spot on his right arm where Luke had hurt him with the Scorpio poison. Prometheus studied us as if trying to understand.

"It bothers you what happened to Luke"

he decided and my heart clenched.

"You don't know the full story. Perhaps if you understood…"

The Titan reached out and his index finger touched our foreheads.

Suddenly I was at a sidewalk that was lined with those little stuffed beanbag animals you see in gift shops. There were miniature lions, pigs, dragons, hydras, even a teeny Minotaur in a little Minotaur diaper.

The front porch was infested with wind chimes. Shiny bits of glass and metal clinked in the breeze. Brass ribbons tinkled like water The front door was painted turquoise. The name Castellan was written in English, and below in Greek: διοικητης φρουριου.

Then we were in May Castellan's living room. from the corner of my eye i could see Percy and the park. in front of me, in the vision, candles flickered on the fireplace mantel, reflected in the mirrors along the walls. Through the kitchen doorway I could see Thalia Grace sitting at the table while Ms Castellan bandaged her wounded leg. seven-year-old Annabeth sat next to her, playing with a Medusa beanbag toy.

Hermes and Luke stood apart in the living room. the god's face looked liquid in the candlelight, like he couldn't decide what shape to adopt. He was dressed in a navy blue jogging outfit with winged Reeboks.

"Why show yourself now?"

Luke demanded. His shoulders were tense, as if he expected a fight.

"All these years I've been calling to you, praying you'd show up, and nothing. You left me with her."

He pointed towards the kitchen like he couldn't bear to look at his mother, much less say her name.

"Luke, do not dishonor her. Your mother did the best she could. As for me, I could not interfere with your path. the children of the gods must find their own way."

"So it was for my own good. Growing up on the streets, fending for myself, fighting monsters."

"You're my son. I knew you had the ability. When I was only a baby, I crawled from my cradle and set out for—"

"I'm not a god! Just once, you could've said something. You could've helped

when"

—he took an unsteady breath, lowering his voice so no one in the kitchen could overhear—

"When she was having one of her fits, shaking me and saying crazy things about my fate. When I used to hide in the closet so she wouldn't find me with those… those glowing eyes. Did you even care that I was scared? Did you even know when I finally ran away?"

In the kitchen, Ms Castellan moved aimlessly, pouring Kool-Aid for Thalia and Annabeth as she told them stories about Luke as a baby. Thalia rubbed her bandaged leg nervously. Annabeth glanced into the living room and held up a burned cookie for Luke to see. She mouthed 'Can we go now'?

"Luke, I care very much, but Gods must not interfere directly in mortal affairs. It is one of our Ancient Laws. Especially when your destiny…"

His voice trailed off. He stared at the candles as if remembering something unpleasant.

"What? What about my destiny?"

"You should not have come back. It only upsets you both. However, I see now that you are getting too old to be on the run without help. I'll speak with Chiron at Camp Half-Blood and ask him to send a satyr to collect you."

"We're doing fine without your help" Luke growled. "Now, what were you saying about my destiny?"

The wings on Hermes' Reeboks fluttered restlessly. He studied his son like he was trying to memorize his face, and suddenly a cold feeling washed through me. I realized Hermes knew what May Castellan's mutterings meant. I wasn't sure how, but looking at his face I was absolutely certain. Hermes understood what would happen to Luke someday, how he would turn evil.

"My son, I'm the god of travelers, the god of loads. If I know anything,

I know that you must walk your own path, even though it tears my heart."

"You don't love me."

"I promise, I… I do love you. Go to camp. I will see that you get a quest soon.

Perhaps you can defeat the Hydra, or steal the apples of Hesperides. You will get a chance to be a great hero before…"

"Before what?"

Luke's voice was trembling now.

"What did my mom see that made her like this? What's going to happen to me? If you love me, tell me"

Hermes' expression tightened.

"I cannot."

"then you don't care!"

Luke yelled. In the kitchen, the talking died abruptly.

"Luke?" May Castellan called. "Is that you? Is my boy all right?"

Luke turned to hide his face, but I could see the tears in his eyes. I wanted to reach out but I knew all we saw wasn't there.

"I'm fine. I have a new family. I don't need either of you."

"I'm your father"

Hermes insisted.

"A father is supposed to be around. I've never even met you. Thalia, Annabeth,

come on! We're leaving!"

"My boy, don't go! I have your lunch ready!"

May Castellan called but Luke stormed out the door, Thalia and Annabeth crumbling after him. May Castellan tried to follow, but Hermes held her back.

As the screen door slammed, May collapsed in Hermes' arms and began to

shake. Her eyes opened —glowing green— and she clutched desperately at Hermes'

shoulders.

"My son"

she hissed in a dry voice.

"Danger. Terrible fate!"

"I know, my love. Believe me, I know."

Hermes said sadly.

The image faded. Prometheus pulled his hand away from my forehead.

"Percy?"

I asked blinking furiously

"What… what was that?"

He was clammy with sweat. Prometheus nodded sympathetically.

"Appalling, isn't it? the gods know what is to come, and yet they do nothing,

even for their children. How long did it take for them to tell you your prophecy, Percy Jackson? Don't you think your father knows what will happen to you? Do you really blame your friend Luke? And what about you, Percy? Will you be controlled by your fate? Kronos offers you a much better deal."

I clenched my fists. As much as I hated what Prometheus had shown me, I hated

Kronos a lot more.

"I'll give you a deal. Tell Kronos to call off his attack, leave Luke

Castellan's body, and return to the pits of Tartarus. then maybe I won't have to destroy him."

Percy growled and the empousa snarled. Her hair erupted in fresh flames, but Prometheus just sighed. Something snapped in me. I banged my fists on the table and stood up.

"How dare you! Leave! right this instant or I will crumble you to dust"

I pushed my flowered trident under his head on his neck and the titan fell on his back. his eyes glared at me but i was unmoving. faintly I heard Percy begging me to let the titan go. i conceded and he stood. the empousa came forward and slipped her arm through his.

"Morrain!"

Prometheus called to the blue giant.

"We are leaving. Get your flag."

"Uh-oh" the giant said.

"We will see you soon. One way or another"

Prometheus promised and they were gone in a flash. Percy was looking at me with wide eyes

"um Bella? what the hell happened to you?"

I furrowed my brow and pulled Katoptris. my eyes widened when the girl that looked back at me was dressed in a long white dress, her eyes were sea green with bright pink flecks in them and her long hair was braided with gold ribbons.

"It's my birthday"

I said


	20. Chapter 29: The wolves save our butts

Chapter 19 : The wolves save our hives

I plopped a kiss on Percy's cheek and summoned my chariot. It was golden, with light blue and pink ribbons on it and had the most beautiful white Pegasus, my Pegasus, was tied in front of it.

Following a hunch I had I flew with the speed of light in Forks and then with my chariot taking the shape of a motorcycle I drove down to LA Push.

WIthout as much as a knock on the door I walked inside the small rundown cabin-like red house and greeted Billy Black.

"I need the wolves"

to say the man was shocked would be an understatement. His eyes grew as wide as saucers and his hand flew on top of his heart. I rolled my now green/pink eyes and I tapped my foot. That got him moving and he wheeled himself to the small table where the phone was placed and called a number. He spoke for a few minutes and then turned back to me.

Soon two ripped and toned native men walked in the door. they were both dressed in cut off jeans and glared as if I had killed their parents.

"The shape shifters, I presume?"

one of them nodded.

"I'd like to know your names. Unless of course you prefer me calling you Fido and Scooby - Doo"

They glared in unison and I smiled innocently.

"I'm Sam. I'm the Alpha of our pack. This is Paul"

the taller one said

"Hello Sam, Paul. I'm Isabella."

"we know who you are"

Paul said with tremors passing through his body

"Then you know I got rid of your vampire infestation"

"You left two!"

Paul bellowed and i ignored him

"You owe me and I came to collect"

I said to the leader. A group of different howling was heard from outside. Billy spoke up

"What ever she wants Sam should be a majority vote"

Sam's face scrunched up but he nodded stiffly and led me out the back door to the beach where a group of huge wolves sat in a circle. I only recognised the russet one from my dreams.

"Hello Jacob"

I said and his tongue lolled out. I smiled and ruffled his fur.

"I need reinforcements. There is a war going on between the Olympian Gods and the Titans. We will lose without your help"

I addressed the entire pack. For a full minute there was deafening silence. Only the white waves splashing at the rocks could be heard before a chorus of

"No"

Filled the air. Only one

"Yes"

was heard. I tried to ignore the naked state of the shape shifters, I really did, but I failed. I'm pretty sure my eyes became wide as saucers with what I saw but I tried to focus to business in hand. Thankfully everyone sat down so I had no problem focusing on the upper head.

"Yes"

Jacob repeated.

"Hephaestus is my father and its my duty to help. As my pack you should help me but I won't force you"

his voice had a strange dulcet tone that got my attention. Sam the pack leader looked down. i could see how he wanted to say 'No' but he was thinking it well.

"Can't the gods fight?"

the only girl of the pack said. I nodded

"The Gods are fighting the Titan Typhon in San Fransisco. Poseidon is battling Oceanus in the sea. Only Demigods are left to protect mount Olympus from the most powerful Titan right now, Kronos"

I got no reaction. I decided to sweeten the deal

"The same Kronos that recruited the vampires"

that got their attention and one by one the shape shifters stood up saying 'Yes'. I smiled at them.

"Are you going to need armour?"

"No, Bells. We're pretty indestructible"

Jacob said and with a strong ripple in the air all shape shifters turned into giant wolves. I led them to my Chariot and told them to bite each others tails and that no matter what they should never ever let go. I got on my chariot and held my left arm out for Jake to put in his mouth. with a blinding light we were gone.

"Wolves!" Annabeth yelled.

The four legged army exploded into the middle of the battle with a roar.

"Percy!"

I shouted across the sea of wild centaurs, demigods and now wolves. Percy's armour was intact but everything else was pretty much burnt down. When out eyes met he was grinning in satisfaction.

"Sorry I'm late"

"What the hell are these?"

"The La Push shapeshifters led by Hephaestus' son Jake. The russet one. Boys! Attack" I shouted

"Dude!"

A centaur yelled at one of the grey wolves sniffing him

"Talk later. Waste monsters now!"

Percy shouted and for a while riot happened. The wolves barked, bit and slashed at the monsters. Most specifically the hellhounds, guess its something about dogs!

"Party ponies. South Florida!"

Somewhere across the battlefield, a twangy voice yelled back

"Heart of Texas Chapter!"

"Hawaii owns your faces!"

a third one shouted. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. The entire Titan army turned and fled, pushed back by a pack of angry - and bigger - werewolves who treated everything and everyone as chewtoys

"Stop running, you fools!"

Kronos yelled.

"Stand and — Acck!" that last part was because a panicked Hyperborean giant stumbled backwards and sat on top of him. the lord of time disappeared under a giant blue butt.

I winched at the image knowing that even though Kronos was inhabiting Luke's body the outside was still Luke and being trapped under a giant blue butt was NOT something I'd wish to anyone!


	21. Chapter 20: The final battle

chapter 20 : The Final Battle

Soon we shipped off our wounded back to Camp Half-blood and realised we were down to sixteen campers, fifteen Hunters, half a dozen satyrs and only Jake and another grey werewolf left in fighting shape.

"We're going to fail"

Annabeth said

"Your mother is the Goddess of Strategy and Wisdom and that's all you can come up with?"

I couldn't help but sneering. She's right; don't get me wrong, but our mutual dislike for each other keeps us going. Percy chuckled

"we need to go up to Olympus. the slow elevator should slow them down"

he suggested. I nodded. Olympus is where demigods are stronger

Thalia, Grover, Annabeth, Percy and I headed inside the Empire State building and up to the 600th floor. I felt stubbed when the doors opened.

Depressing is not a word that usually describes Mount Olympus, but it looked that way now. No fires lit the braziers. The windows were dark. The streets were deserted and the doors were barred. the only movement was in the parks, which had been set up as field hospitals. The Apollo campers scrambled around, caring for the wounded. Naiads and dryads tried to help, using nature magic songs to heal burns and poison.

The earth shook violently.

"Can you send everyone to the Camp?"

Thalia asked in a trembling voice. I nodded, not trusting my own voice and called an order in ancient Greek. The pure energy used caused even more debris to fall on us. We started running and made it to the edge of the mountain just as the final section collapsed. Annabeth looked back at the elevator, which was now completely out of reach. Just a polished set of metal doors hanging in space, attached to nothing, six hundred stories above Manhattan.

"We're marooned. On our own."

she cried.

"The connection between Olympus and America is dissolving. If it fails the gods won't move on to another country this time. This will be the end of Olympus. the final end."

Thalia said in a sad voice. We ran through streets. Mansions were burning. Statues had been hauled down. Trees in the parks were blasted to splinters. It looked like someone had attacked the city with a giant bat. We followed the winding path toward the palace of the gods. I didn't remember the road being so long. Maybe Kronos was making time go slower, or maybe it was just dread slowing me down. the whole mountaintop was in ruins — so many beautiful buildings and gardens gone.

A few minor gods and nature spirits had tried to stop Kronos. What remained of them was strewn about the road: shattered armour, ripped clothing, swords and spears broken in half. Somewhere ahead of us, Kronos' voice roared:

"Brick by brick! That was my promise. Tear it down brick by brick!"

A white marble temple with a golden dome suddenly exploded. the dome shot up like the lid of a teapot and shattered into a billion pieces, raining rubble over the city.

"that was a shrine to Artemis"

Thalia grumbled.

"He'll pay for that."

I snickered darkly seeing a statue of Aphrodite in pieces. We were running under the marble archway with the huge statues of Zeus and Hera when the entire mountain groaned, rolling sideways like a boat in a storm.

"Look out!"

Grover yelped. the archway crumbled. I looked up in time to see a twenty-ton scowling Hera topple over Percy and Annabeth. Thalia shoved them from behind and they landed just out of danger letting the archway pin her lower body down.

"Thalia!"

Grover cried and we all ran to him and tried desperately to move it, but it would've taken several Cyclopes. When we tried to pull Thalia out from under it, she yelled in pain and growled

"I survive all those battles and I get defeated by a stupid chunk of rock!"

"It's Hera"

Annabeth said in outrage.

"She's had it in for me all year. Her statue would've killed me if you hadn't pushed us away."

"Well, don't just stand there! I'll be fine. Go!"

Kronos laughing as he approached the hall of the gods. More buildings exploded.

"We'll be back"

"I'm not going anywhere"

Thalia groaned at Percy. Annabeth stayed by her side to protect her friend. fireball erupted on the side of the mountain, right near the gates of the palace.

"We've got to run"

I said

"I don't suppose you mean away"

Grover murmured hopefully. we sprinted towards the palace

"I was afraid of that"

Grover sighed, and clip-clopped after us. the doors of the main palace were big enough to steer a cruise ship through, but they'd been ripped off their hinges and smashed like they weighed nothing. We had to climb over a huge pile of broken stone and twisted metal to get inside. Kronos stood in the middle of the throne room, his arms wide, staring at the starry ceiling as if taking it all in. His laughter echoed even louder than it had from the pit of Tartarus.

"Finally!" he bellowed. "the Olympian Council — so proud and mighty. Which seat of power shall I destroy first?"

The demigod I had seen with Promitheus, Ethan Nakamura, stood to one side, trying to stay out of the way of his master's scythe. the hearth was almost dead, just a few coals glowing deep in the ashes. Hestia was nowhere to be seen. An Ophiotaurus swam in his water sphere in the far corner of the room, wisely not making a sound, but it wouldn't be long before Kronos noticed him. Annabeth, Grover, Percy and I stepped forward into the torchlight. Ethan saw us first.

"My lord"

he warned. Kronos turned and smiled through Luke's face. Except for the golden eyes, he looked just the same as he had ten years ago when I welcomed him into the Camp. I felt my stomach tighten. A whimper rose from my throat.

"Shall I destroy you first, Jackson?" Kronos asked. "Is that the choice you will make — to fight me and die instead of bowing down? Prophecies never end well, you know."

"Luke would fight with a sword. But I suppose you don't have his skill."

Percy goaded him and Kronos sneered. His scythe began to change, until he held Luke's old weapon, Backbiter, with its half-steel, half-Celestial bronze blade. The metaphorical light bulb went on in my head.

"Percy, the blade! The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap."

Kronos raised his sword.

"Wait!"

I yelled but I was ignored as Kronos lunged at Percy who dodged and slashed and rolled, but seemed subdued, like he was fighting a hundred swordsmen. Ethan ducked to one side, trying to get behind him and I intercepted. We started fighting as well. The kid was pretty good but I was better. Too bad my celestial bronze sword can't kill demigods.. Somewhere behind us, safe, Grover was playing his reed pipes. The sound was filled with warmth and courage — thoughts of sunlight and a blue sky and a calm meadow, somewhere far away from the war.

Kronos backed Percy up against the throne of Hephaestus — a huge mechanical La-Z-Boy type thing covered with bronze and silver gears. Kronos slashed, and Percy managed to jump straight up onto the seat. the throne whirred and hummed with

secret mechanisms.

"Defence mode. Defence mode"

it warned.

"Percy jump!"

I called to him and he jumped straight over Kronos' head as the throne shot tendrils of electricity in all directions.

One hit Kronos in the face, arcing down his body and up his sword.

"Arg!"

He crumpled to his knees and dropped Backbiter. I saw my chance and kicked Ethan out of the way and charged Kronos.

"Luke, listen!"

Kronos flicked his hand. I felt as if an invincible fist smacked to me but I remained upright. Okay... I felt woozy but no need to advertise it!

Grass grew on the floor of the throne room. Tiny roots crept up between the cracks of the marble stones. Kronos rose to one knee. His hair smouldered. His face was covered with electrical burns. He reached for his sword, but this time it didn't fly into his hands. Kronos stomped his foot, and the floor ruptured around Ethan Nakamura. the son of Nemesis fell through a fissure that went straight through the heart of the mountain, straight into open air.

"So much for now for the rest of you."

Kronos picked up his sword. I knew I could attack him myself but it wasn't my Fate. It was Percy's. Grover had stopped playing was on the ground motionless hit by a straight piece of floor.

Percy and Kronos kept fighting, their blades clashed in a shower of sparks. Kronos was stronger than him, even in his fading human body host. I had an idea and created a soft rain around Percy who instantly got stronger by it. He pushed Kronos back and struck again — slashing Riptide across his breastplate.

I was hit with a vision

I saw Nico with Charlie and sally down on Fifth Avenue, fighting a hopeless battle, ringed in enemies. In the background Hades fought from his black chariot, summoning wave after wave of zombies out of the ground, but the forces of the Titan's army seemed just as endless. Meanwhile, Manhattan was being destroyed. Mortals, now fully awake, were running in terror.

Cars swerved and crashed. the scene changed, and I saw something even more terrifying. A column of storm was approaching the Hudson River, moving rapidly over the Jersey shore. Chariots circled it, locked in combat with the creature in the cloud.

The gods attacked. Lightning flashed. Arrows of gold and silver streaked into the cloud like rocket tracers and exploded. Slowly, the cloud ripped apart, and I saw Typhon clearly for the first time.

I knew as long as I lived (which might not be that long actually) I would never be able to get the image out of my mind. Typhon's head shifted constantly. Every moment he was a different monster, each more horrible than the last. Looking at his face would've driven me insane, so I focused on his body, which wasn't much better. He was humanoid, but his skin reminded me of a meat loaf sandwich that had been in someone's fridge all year. He was mold green, with blisters the size of buildings and blackened patties from eons of being stuck under a volcano. His hands were human, but with talons like an eagle's. His legs were scaly and reptilian.

Zeus threw a thunderbolt from his chariot. the blast lit up the world. I could feel the shot even here on Olympus, but when the dust cleared, Typhon was still standing. He staggered a bit, with a smoking crater on top of his misshapen head, but he roared in anger and kept advancing. My limbs began to loosen up. Kronos didn't seem to notice. His attention was focused on the fight and his final victory. If I could hold out a few more seconds, and if my dad kept his word… Typhon stepped into the Hudson River and barely sank to midcalf.

"Now daddy, Please, it has to happen now"

I sent a semi-conscious thought to my father who battled in the sea.

As if he could hear me, a horn sounded from the smoky picture. the call of the ocean. the call of Poseidon. All around Typhon, the Hudson River erupted, burning with forty-foot waves. Out of the water burst a new chariot, this one pulled by massive hippocampi, who swam in air as easily as in water. My father, glowing with a blue aura of power, rode a defiant circle around the giant's legs. Poseidon was no longer an old man. He looked like himself again — tan and strong with a bla? beard. As he swung his trident, the river responded, making a funnel cloud around the monster.

"Now, my brethren!"

Poseidon's voice was so loud I wasn't sure if I was hearing it from the vision or from all the way across town.

"Strike for Olympus!"

Warriors burst out of the river, riding the waves on huge sharks and dragons and sea horses. It was a legion of Cyclopes, and leading them into battle was... Tyson, the Cyclop son of Poseidon. Riding behind him was Briares, the Hundred-Handed One. All the Cyclopes held huge lengths of black iron chains —big enough to anchor a battleship— with grappling hooks at the ends. they swung them like lassos and began to ensnare Typhon, throwing lines around the creature's legs and arms, using the tide to keep circling, slowly tangling him. Typhon shook and roared and yanked at the chains, pulling some of the Cyclopes off their mounts; but there were too many chains. the sheer weight of the Cyclops began to weigh Typhon down. Poseidon threw his trident and impaled the monster in the throat. Golden blood, immortal ichor, spewed from the wound, making a waterfall taller than a skyscraper. the trident flew back to Poseidon's hand.

the other gods struck with renewed force. Ares rode in and stabbed Typhon in the nose. Artemis shot the monster in the eye with a dozen silver arrows. Apollo shot a blazing volley of arrows and set the monster's loincloth on fire. And Zeus kept pounding the giant with lightning, until finally, slowly, the water rose, wrapping Typhon like a cocoon, and he began to sink under the weight of the chains. Typhon bellowed in agony, thrashing with such force that waves sloshed the Jersey shore, soaking five-story buildings and splashing over the George Washington Bridge, but down he went as my dad opened a special tunnel for him at the bottom of the river, an endless waterslide that would take him straight to Tartarus. The giant's head went under in a seething whirlpool, and he was gone.

The vision ended.

"they're on their way" I said. "You've lost."

"I haven't even started."

He advanced with blinding speed. I jabbed under Kronos' guard. It was a good trick. Unfortunately, Luke showed to me. He countered the strike and disarmed me using Luke's favourite move. My sword skittered across the ground and fell straight into the open fissure. He threw my on my back with Backbiter pushed into my neck. I could feel my gold blood tricking down my neck and splatter to the marble floor.

From the corner of my time I saw Percy frozen. Literally frozen in time.

"I will crush you, child!"

Kronos bellowed.

"You won't You're holding Kronos back"

I whispered and cupped his face in hand.

"Take my dagger. Look in Katoptris Luke"

I told him softly making no move to get up or fight. Kronos staggered. He stared at the knife in my left hand, the blood on my neck.

"Bella"

He whispered and stumbled forward like he couldn't control his own body. he never moved Backbiter off my neck but grasped Katoptris. His eyes widened at the image my dagger showed him. He looked at me again before letting Katotris fall down. He unlatched the side straps of his armour, exposing a small bit of his skin just under his left arm, a place that would be very hard to hit. With difficulty, he stabbed himself.

It wasn't a deep cut, but Luke howled. His eyes glowed like lava. the throne room shook, throwing percy off his feet, allowing him to move again. An aura of energy surrounded Luke, growing brighter and brighter. I shut my eyes and felt a force like a nuclear explosion blister my skin and crack my lips. It was silent for a long time.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Luke sprawled at the hearth. On the floor around him was a blackened circle of ash. Luke's left side was bloody. His eyes were open — blue eyes, the way they used to be. His breath was a deep ramble.

"Good… blade"

he croaked. I pushed myself up and knelt next to him placing his head on my lap tenderly. Percy crawled over to us and grasped Luke's hand.

"You were a hero at the end, Luke. The prophesied Hero"

He shook his head weakly. and held up his charred hand bringing it to my face.

"Did you…"

Luke coughed and his lips glistened red.

"Did you love me?"

I nodded letting my tears fall down my cheeks and to his lips.

"Always have, always will"

He nodded and I placed a soft kiss on his bloody lips. He winced in pain. Another cough. He gripped Percy's sleeve.

"Ethan. Me. All the unclaimed. Don't let it… Don't let it happen again."

His eyes were angry, but pleading too.

"I won't. I promise."

Percy whispered and Luke nodded. his hand went slack.

The gods arrived a few minutes later in their full war regalia, thundering into the throne room and expecting a battle. What they found were Grover playing a sad tune on his reed pipes, Percy and me holding the body of a broken half-blood, in the dim warm light of the hearth.

"Percy"

my father called, awe in his voice.

"What… what is this?"

I turned and faced the Olympians.

"We need a shroud"

Percy started to say but his voice cracked.

"A shroud for the son of Hermes."

I finished and ignoring my parents' imploring looks I walked out


	22. Chapter 21: Birthday parties

Chapter 21: Epilogue – a birthday party

Without thinking I found myself at the river Hudson hugging my knees resting my legs in the warm summer water. a hand touched my shoulder

"are you ok, kid?"

Charlie asked. I shook my head unable to speak as I wept. Charlie pulled me up we walked hand in hand to Sally Jackson's apartment where there was a humongous party for Percy's 16th birthday that acted as a celebration for the titanomachy as well.

I wiped my tears and plastered a fake smile on my face. all the decorations were blue including the cakes and sweets and party hats. The La Push werewolves were talking together in one corner looking absolutely ridiculous in cut-off jeans and blue party hats. Jake sat in a chair with a girl in his lap who was eating blue cupcakes like nobody's business and was looking at her with adoration. I could feel the pure love coming off them both and it brought fresh tears in my eyes. Jake looked at me and winked mouthing 'thank you'.

I walked up to Percy who had a self righteous expression on his face.

"Happy birthday"

"Right back at ya"

"I'm sorry I walked out earlier"

"it's ok... I don't think anyone minded"

I stuck my tongue at him.

"What did they offer you for saving our hives?"

"Nothing major, just immortality"

he said with a shrug.

"you refused"

I said not feeling anything godlike from him and he nodded

"I asked for something better"

his sea-green eyes shone with mirth.

"Do, pray tell!"

""I asked them to a-properly recognise all the children… of all the gods. as the whole Kronos-influencing-demigods wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been for a lot of demigods who felt angry, resentful, unloved and abandoned by their parents."

"nice! what else?"

"B- the minor gods should have general amnesty and a place at Camp Half-Blood. C - Calypso and the other peaceful Titan-kind should be pardoned. and D - Hades should have a cabin at camp. E - And no more pact of the Big Three."

"as if that worked"

I chuckled

"That's all? You're a tough guy to please Percy Jackson"

"must run in our bloodstream"

he bumped his shoulder with mine.

"Hey, you should know that Charlie asked me for mom's hand in marriage"

Percy said excited and I smiled back

"See? I didn't even have to push them together. Who's the girl in Jake's lap?"

I asked Percy who choked on his blue lemonade

"my dog. mrs O'Leary. Persephone found her raped and offered her a spot as a hellhound. You wolfie friend found his soul mate in her. I'm gonna miss my dog"

Percy pouted. I rolled my eyes

"I'll get you a puppy tomorrow"

"Something small please. I really don't like cleaning after a huge dog"

Sally noted joining us with Charlie.

"I cleaned after my own dog"

Percy exclaimed

"You left her at the camp most of the time"

I deadpanned making us all laugh

"Great! Now they're ganging up on me"

Percy pouted to Charlie, who clasped his shoulder and told him with mirth that that's what family does. Almost as a reply to his comment the doorbell ran and sally went to open it blushing furiously

It was my dad. He was wearing Bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian shirt and Birkenstochs, like he usually does. His black beard was neatly trimmed and his sea-green eyes twinkled. He wore a battered cap decorated with fishing lures.

"Pos—"

My mother stopped herself. She was blushing right to the roots of her hair.

"Um, hello."

"Hello, Sally" Poseidon said. "You look as beautiful as ever. May I come in?"

Sally made a squeaking sound that might've been either a "Yes" or "Help". Poseidon took it as a 'Yes' and came in. The whole room went silent as Poseidon was followed by Hermes and Aphrodite. Charlie stepped forward smiling as if he was waking up from a dream.

"Hi dad"

Percy and I said in one breath

"Hi, I'm Charlie Swan"

Poseidon raised his eyebrows as they exchanged a man-hug.

"Swan?"

he threw a dirty glance at my mom who was examining her nails dressed in her customary hot pink short dress and dragged Percy to the kitchen.

"I see, Helen's son."

Poseidon said.

"A shame. How's our town?"

"Small, rainy and full of trout"

Charlie smiled the same smile Poseidon did. Sort of unnerving considering he wants to marry Percy's mom

"Well!"

Sally squeaked and shuffled her legs a bit. My mom looked between Sally and Charlie and winked at him who blushed furiously.

"Daddy!"

Tyson broke the suddenly awkward silence by bounding across the room and gave Poseidon a big hug, which almost knocked off his fishing hat, much to Hermes' amusement

"I couldn't miss my kids' birthdays"

Hermes came up to me and asked if we talk for a moment. I nodded and he put his arm around me and steered me out to the fire escape and up to the roof. Once we were alone, his smile faded.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. I guess."

"Percy told me what happened in the throne room, but I wanted to hear it directly from you. Tell me everything."

So I did. It was kind of disconcerting, because Hermes listened so intently. His eyes never left my face. His expression didn't change the whole time I talked. When I was done, he nodded slowly.

"According to Hades Luke asked to be reborn"

my heart clenched. Somewhere out was baby Luke. Hermes eyes twinkled and his winged Rebocks fluttered.

"and?"

"Hades decided that since my son chose to preserve Olympus he deserved a second chance"

His face broke into the biggest, happiest smile I've ever seen the God of the Messengers and thieves smile. He pointed behind me and there was Luke. Not charred, not broken and with his own blue eyes smiling at me. I didn't notice Hermes leaving because frankly I was tad preoccupied kissing the life out of his son.

"I'm sorry"

Luke whispered

"for what?"

I whispered back

"Believing Kronos, destroying half the city, trying to kill you. take your pick"

I shook my head.

"In the end you couldn't kill me and you killed him!"

I shrugged and nested myself in his arms. We stood like that for a moment watching the sun set.

"Twilight"

I whispered and Luke winced

"yeah... about that"

I hit his chest smiling and Percy's voice rang

"You might wanna come down here if you want to see your mother alive again"

"uh huh"

Luke and I returned to the apartment hand in hand. Percy was shouting at Aphrodite who was looking at him with an amused stare.

"What happened?"

I asked Charlie who was choking back laughter

"Percy just figured out why his feelings for Annabeth vanished the moment Kronos was defeated"

"Because every hero needs a torrid love affair"

I muttered seeing what Aphrodite meant by her 'I'm no gonna make things easy for you' to Percy all those years ago.

"You knew?"

Percy bellowed at me and I took a wise step behind Luke.

"You still indestructible?"

I asked Luke who nodded saying something along the lines of Hades liked the idea.

"No, Perce, I didn't know. I just know my mother"

Aphrodite placed a kiss on Percy's forehead apologising, winked at Luke's and mine still clasped hands and was gone in a flash of hearts.

We ate blue cake and ice cream until we couldn't eat any more. Then played a bunch of cheesy party games like charades and Monopoly.

Tyson didn't get charades. He kept shouting out the answer he was trying to mime but strangely the La Push kids were amazing at it and knocked us out. However he was amazing at monopoly and ended up victorious in only 3 rounds!

Percy leaned up against the sofa muttering 'I love my family' before falling asleep. Luke and I curled up together in the balcony watching the stars and I could hear the wolves playing mime games in the living room.

"For the first time since Kronos started sending dreams to me I don't care what's gonna happen tomorrow"

Luke said I nodded in his shirt.

"I just wanna bask in the moment"

I felt my eyelids drop as Luke's tightened around me. I guess no one minds an indestructible demigod and a goddess together was my last conscious thought.

THE END


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